MUMBAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday submitted a chargesheet against 33 accused including actor Rhea Chakraborty in the drugs case it probed in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. The chargesheet submitted before the special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act court is around 12,000 odd pages. It includes the statements of 200 witnesses.
The NCB said that the evidence includes call data records, whatsapp chats and bank documents. It said that probe against other accused not named in this chargesheet will continue.
Among the offences many were accused of “illicit trafficking and harbouring of offenders” under section 27A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The stringent section attracts a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years in jail.
Among other accused are Rhea’s bother Showik Chakraborty and film executive producer Kshitij Prasad. Showik was accused of procuring ganja for Rajput, who was in a relationship with Rhea before his death in June. Two foreign nationals including actor Arjun Rampal’s partner’s brother Agisilaos Demetriades are also named in the case.
While Rhea was arrested in September, on October 7, the Bombay high court while granting her bail had found that there was no evidence to suggest she financed drug trade, which was key to the stringent charge of Section 27A under the NDPS Act. The court noted, ‘Helping procure drugs for Sushant not same as harbouring and financing drugs’.
Some accused in the case continue to remain in jail.