Rhea & Showik Chakraborty Move Bombay HC Seeking Bail; Rhea's Judicial Custody ExtendedBy Special Court Till Oct 6

On Tuesday, the Sessions Court extended Rhea Chakraborty's judicial custody till October 6. She was arrested in the case by NCB on September 8 and remanded to 14 day judicial custody on the same day.

Rhea and Showik's lawyer Advocate Satish Maneshinde said their bail applications will come up for hearing on Wednesday before a bench presided over by Justice Sarang Kotwal.

On September 11, Sessions Court had rejected the bail applications filed by accused Rhea Chakraborty, Showik Chakraborty, Zaid Vilatra, Samuel Miranda, Dipesh Sawant and Abdel Parihar.

While rejecting Rhea and Showik's bail, Judge GB Gurao had observed-

"According to the prosecution, the accused has taken the names of other persons. The investigation in respect of those persons is in process. If the accused is released on bail then he/she will alert those persons and they will destroy the evidence. There is the possibility of tampering of evidence. As discussed above considering the allegations against the accused there is a bar to release the accused on bail under section 37 of NDPS Act 1985. The investigation is at preliminary stage and if the accused is released on bail then she will tamper the prosecution evidence. Hence, in such a circumstance I find that the applicant/accused is not entitled for bail."

According to NCB, Showik Chakraborty revealed that he used to facilitate the delivery to arrange drugs through accused Abdel Parihar by accused Kaizan Ebrahim and accused Zaid. These deliveries used to be received by aides of Late Sushant Singh Rajput and every delivery and payment was in knowledge of accused Rhea Chakraborty and even sometimes payments and choice of drug was confirmed from accused Rhea Chakraborty.

It is also NCB's case that during his statement, accused Samuel Miranda disclosed that he used to procure drugs on the direction of Sushant Singh Rajput and accused Rhea Chakraborty and disclosed that financial matter in this regard were being dealt by accused Rhea Chakraborty and Late Sushant Singh Rajput. Moreover, accused Dipesh Sawant (Sushant's house help) disclosed that he used to receive drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput on his directions and on several occasions accused Rhea Chakraborty also instructed him.

Thereafter, Samuel Miranda, Dipesh Sawant, and Abdel Parihar, approached the high court, seeking bail. Interestingly, the High Court on September 18, while adjourning the hearing in bail applications observed that the matter will be heard extensively as Narcotics Control Bureau's case is an unusual one and an important question of law is involved "which will not just affect this case but all other cases of past and future."