The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has finally filed a charge sheet in the drugs case it launched in the aftermath of the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020.
The case had made headlines two years ago because of the arrest of actor Rhea Chakraborty, who used to date Rajput and had allegedly helped procure marijuana for him. Chakraborty spent a month in jail before getting bail from the Bombay High Court.
In the charge sheet filed by the NCB, it is looking to charge 35 people with various drug offences, some of which are connected to Rajput, while others go beyond the drugs procured for him.
The NCB has sought charges against Rhea Chakraborty for purchasing 'small' quantities of marijuana for Rajput and her brother Showik Chakraborty. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) specifies different degrees of punishment for offences related to 'small,' 'intermediate,' and 'commercial' quantities of drugs.
While there is little controversy to be generated over the basic charge regarding purchase of marijuana if the NCB can prove receipt and payments for the drugs by her (as they have previously claimed), the agency has gone further and included a charge against her which is entirely baseless.
And which the Bombay High Court told them was baseless back in October 2020.