Background
Sushant’s death had triggered a massive tumult in Bollywood and political circles.
Several Bollywood big names, including Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Rakul Preet Singh, Karishma Prakash, Arjun Rampal and others were interrogated by the NCB in connection with the case. However, the SC had made it clear that confessional statements made before an investigating officer of an agency like NCB will not be considered as evidence to convict an accused.
Besides NCB, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED are probing the death and financial angle of the case.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) which registered two cases in connection with the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput after a letter from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to file a charge sheet against 33 people, including his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik in a court here, sources said. The actor was found dead in his Bandra apartment on June 14 2020.
Recent Events
According to senior NCB sources, the drug law enforcement agency will be filing the first charge sheet running in over 12,000 pages in the case against 33 people relating to the drug probe. In August last year, the agency disclosed alleged chats between Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and Sushant Singh's former manager and staff and 30 people were arrested in connection to the case.
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NCB sources said that names of Sushant's girlfriend Rhea, Showik, Sushant's former manager Samuel Miranda, Sushant's house help Dipesh Sawant, drug peddler Anuj Keshwani, from whom a commercial quantity of drugs (LSD sheets and marijuana) was first recovered, two college students who are allegedly last-mile peddlers, two foreign nationals including Agisilaos Demetriades, brother of Arjun Rampal's South African model Gabriella Demetriades and Kshitij Prasad, a former executive producer associated with Dharma Productions are said to figure in the charge sheet. However, not many details have been furnished.
Clarification
It is being clarified by those concerned that the charge sheet has no connection with Sushant's death.
The NCB had in August last year registered two cases related to drugs in connection with the death of Rajput. The NCB had arrested Rhea and Showik in connection with the case besides several other persons in September last year. They are currently out on bail. The first arrest was made in September.
Absconders
Among the 5 people who are absconding in this case are film actress Sapna Pabbi and some drug peddlers. Although technically,these people will not be called absconders, but they have not cooperated in the investigation.
Future direction?
At present, investigation is not closed, and supplementary chargesheet will also be filed
Since the filing of the charge sheet, it is being speculated that the investigation into the drugs case has been completed.
However, according to people associated with the NCB, the investigation is yet to be completed. The case is currently open. A few more aspects will be investigated in this. A supplementary charge will also be filed later.
Are other celebrities safe?
More Bollywood celebrities may come under its purview.