A court in Mumbai ordered the defreezing of the bank accounts of actor Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty, noting that the Narcotics Control Bureau failed to follow NDPS Act procedures during its investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput.
A special court in Mumbai ordered the defreezing of actor Rhea Chakraborty’s and her brother Showik Chakraborty’s bank accounts, in a drugs-related matter.
The court noted that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) failed to follow the mandatory procedural requirements under the NDPS Act.
During the NCB’s investigation into a drug case connected to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the agency had frozen the accounts of both Chakrabortys.
Through their lawyer, Ayaz Khan, the duo argued that the NCB had not complied with the procedure required under Section 68F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
In response, the prosecution claimed that Chakraborty’s alleged statements suggested she was actively involved in a drug syndicate, with links to peddlers. It also argued that freezing the accounts was a necessary step for the investigating officer.
Special NDPS Court Judge U C Deshmukh held that, under Section 68F, any order to freeze or seize property must be confirmed by a competent authority within 30 days.
The judge ruled that if such confirmation is not provided within that period, the order would automatically become legally invalid.
The court further observed that the respondents did not dispute the lack of compliance with this compulsory requirement.
Citing an applicable High Court decision and the statutory conditions under Section 68F, the court granted the application and directed the immediate defreezing of the bank accounts, allowing the Chakrabortys to use them in accordance with RBI rules and regulations.
The NCB has been probing alleged drug use in the Bollywood and television industry following Rajput’s death. Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his apartment in Mumbai’s Bandra area on June 14, 2020.
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