NCB to summon Rhea Chakraborty in drug case

An official said the summons is in connection with some “incriminating chats” they found in a WhatsApp group that had Rhea, Showik, Miranda and Dipesh Sawant, Rajput’s cook, as members. Sawant too was placed under arrest by the NCB late Saturday.

Earlier when questioned about the alacrity shown by the agency in making arrests in a case of marijuana use, Deputy DG (NCB) Mutha Ashok Jain said, “Normally we look at international and interstate connections, we look for the big fish. Normally this (case) is not sort of our mandate but now that we are getting information, we will not shirk our responsibility… we will take it to its logical conclusion.”

Also Read| Sushant Singh Rajput case: NCB arrests member of late actor’s house help in drugs probe

It was the ED that was investigating a case against Rhea and her family which had passed details of chats from Rhea’s phone to the NCB that led to an FIR being registered.

While so far there have not been any major seizures of marijuana from those arrested, the NCB has maintained its case is about the conspiracy to procure and supply marijuana, for which seizures are not necessary.

On Saturday afternoon, while seeking custody of Showik and Miranda, the NCB told the court the two were involved in organising weed for the late actor.

The court has granted the agency their custody till September 9. Seeking custody of Showik, the NCB claimed on his instructions drugs were procured by alleged drug peddlers arrested earlier. The NCB said Showik will be confronted with other accused and Rhea.

Also Read| Rhea Chakraborty’s brother, Sushant Singh Rajput aide held, NCB says probing Bollywood ‘drug network

“The financial trail of all their previous transactions of drug purchases has to be verified,” the NCB said in its remand plea.

It also said other names have to be verified through analysis of their Call Data Records, WhatsApp chats and preliminary interrogation of the other accused.

While seeking Miranda’s custody, the NCB said Abdel Basit Parihar, arrested earlier, had disclosed his name. “He has stated that he used to organise weed for Rajput from September 2019 to March 2020 through a contact given by Showik’s friend…,” the NCB said. The agency claimed the delivery of weed was done to Waterstones Club, where Rajput was staying earlier, Primrose, Rhea’s residence, and Mount Blanc, his Bandra resident.

“In March 2020, Showik allegedly told Miranda to get bud for Sushant by giving him the contact of Zaid Vilatra (arrested) and was told to use the reference of Parihar with the money paid through debit card,” the NCB said, claiming Rs 10,000 were paid for five grams of bud which was collected from Vilatra by Miranda.

Also Read| Sushant Singh Rajput case: Showik, Miranda sent to NCB custody till September 9

The NCB claimed this shows Miranda was an “active member of the drug syndicate connected with high society personalities and drug suppliers”.

Satish Maneshinde, Rhea and Showik’s lawyer, submitted to the court that Rhea had left Rajput’s home after argument over his line of treatment. He claimed Rajput had decided to replace his ongoing treatment done in consultation with five doctors in Mumbai with the prescription arranged through his sister Priyanka of a doctor who Rajput had not consulted.

“He (Rajput) was on the contrary consuming psychotropic drugs regularly. Doctors had advised him to desist from drug consumption and instead take the prescribed medicines,” Maneshinde said. He added that statements of other witnesses, including staff of Rajput, showed that he used to consume drugs much before he started living with Rhea in April 2019.

“Instead Showik and Miranda are being prosecuted after his death which is unwarranted,” Maneshinde said. He claimed both Rhea and Showik have never consumed drugs and were willing to take a drug test.

Read | Sushant Singh Rajput death: Parihar would procure drugs on Showik’s instructions, NCB tells court

“The NDPS prosecution has been foisted after ED and CBI have so far found no incriminating material of any abetment or siphoning of money much less Rs 15 crore by Rhea Chakraborty and family,” Maneshinde submitted to the court, calling the parallel investigations by multiple agencies a “witch-hunt”.

The NCB did not seek custody of the third accused Kainaz Ebrahim. Ebrahim was granted bail by the court. The NCB claimed Ebrahim was a ‘supplier’ of charas and a 0.5 gram of a dark brown coloured substance purported to be the substance was found at his house.

Meanwhile, Vilatra and Parihar approached the sessions court through lawyer Taraq Sayyed stating that the charges against them were bailable and hence their police custody granted by the magistrate’s court earlier was erroneous. The plea will be heard on Monday.

Public prosecutor Atul Sarpande said, “While we have revealed only some chats on the basis of which arrests have been made, we have more evidence. Hence, the court granted us remand. We have more information on illegal transactions in the field of drugs… and some transactions are being undertaken by each of the parties arrested…”

In a statement issued Saturday, Lt Col (retired) Indrajit Chakraborty said: “Congratulations India, you have arrested my son, am sure next in line is my daughter and I don’t know who is next thereafter. You have effectively demolished a middle-class family. But of course, for the sake of justice everything is justified. Jai Hind!”