The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has finally arrested Rhea Chakraborty. Not the CBI which was looking into abetment to suicide in the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, or the ED which was looking into claims that she was siphoning money off him. These were allegations made by Rajput's family.
Now, the NCB is looking into a separate drug case, which is not connected to the death of the actor. It is because they found connections to drug dealers who were supplying drugs to Rajput.
Rhea Chakraborty has not just been arrested, but also remanded to NCB custody for 14 days, which was agreed to by a Mumbai court that also denied bail to Chakraborty.
What Is The Drugs Case About?
The case that Chakraborty is now embroiled in began with the NCB searching and arresting two drug dealers who were dealing with 'ganja' and other forms of marijuana. As they investigated that, they found that these dealers had connections to Showik Chakraborty who is Rhea's brother, as well as to the late actor's manager and domestic help.
What they found eventually was that drugs were being procured by the domestic help and manager for Sushant Singh Rajput at the request of Showik Chakraborty, who was reaching out to the drug dealers.
In the interrogation that followed, the NCB found that the payments that were being made to these drug dealers were being made with Rhea Chakraborty in the know.
What the found after they interrogated Rhea is that she used to sometimes procure these drugs and pay for them. On that basis, the NCB, taking a leap of logic, said that Rhea was involved in an entire 'drug syndicate', because they found that the drug dealers are at the centre of this supply to many actors and others in the Bollywood circle.
They've asked for her custody because they want to investigate this further and that's where the case is at this point in time.
What Are The Specific Offences Involved & What Punishment Could Rhea Face?
The NCB in its remand application has said that Rhea has been arrested under specific sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which is India's main anti-drug legislation.
The sections invoked are sections 8 (general prohibition), 20 (sale,purchase, manufacture, transport, and use of cannabis) 22 (sale,purchase, manufacture, transport, and use of psychotropic drugs), and 27A (financing illicit activities), 28 and 29 (abetment and conspiracy).
Under NDPS Act, there are different levels of punishment for different quantities of drugs involved. If there's a very small quantity of drugs involved, then one is not looking at a stringent or prolonged sentence. The Act classifies quantities into three groups - small, intermediate and commercial.
Now, commercial quantities are the main problem. If that's involved then one is looking at very serious punishments. There are different threshold for different drugs. For example, for ganja it's around a kilogram, for charas it's a 100 gm and so on. We don't know for a fact which drugs are involved in this case.
If Rhea Chakraborty is being charged with offences related to small quantities, then, say under section 20, she is looking at a maximum punishment of six months. If its section 22, then its a maximum punishment of one year, and a fine of about 10,000 rupees. But if there are commercial quantities involved then the punishment shoots up.
In such a case, one is looking at a minimum of 10 years in jail, if not 20. They're also looking at fines that can go up to 2 lakh rupees and higher.
Under section 27A, the minimum sentence can go up to 10 years.
Will Rhea Get Bail?
As of now Rhea is not getting bail, but may get it after the end of her 14-day custody, again, depending on the amount of drugs involved.
If it is a small quantity then getting bail is easier, but if it’s a commercial quantity, the courts almost never grant bail.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)