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Special court gives rhea access to bank accounts after a year
In her first application regarding the unfreezing of her bank accounts, Rhea Chakraborty said NCB froze them without any reason and added it was unjust and caused prejudice to her.
A special court has allowed a plea by Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty, seeking access to her bank accounts which were frozen after she was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with a drugs case filed in relation to actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death last year.
The court, in a recent order, also allowed another plea for return of the actress’ electronic gadgets seized during the course of investigation last year.
Rhea and her brother, Showik, along with at least two dozen others, were arrested by the NCB on September 8, 2020 on charges of facilitating procurement of drugs for consumption for Rajput, who was found dead at his apartment in Mumbai on June 14, 2020.
The Chakraborty siblings have been on bail since October last year.
In her first application, pertaining to her bank accounts, Rhea alleged that she needed access to her bank accounts for fulfilling various tax liabilities and to support her as well as her brother’s lifestyle. Having her accounts frozen for over 10 months caused her prejudice, she added.
The actress’ counsel Satish Maneshinde argued that the NCB case will take time for disposal and it was not necessary to keep the accounts frozen.
Opposing the plea, NCB’s counsel and special public prosecutor Atul Sarpande said a probe into the financial transactions was underway and providing its access to the actress could hamper the investigation.
The court, however, observed that the investigating officer in the case said that he had left a decision on the matter to the discretion of the court, and allowed the de-freezing of accounts subject to conditions.
“From the reply of the officer, it appears that there is no strong objection from the respondent side for unfreezing the bank account and FDs (fixed deposits) of the applicant,” the court said in its order.
In such circumstances, she is entitled to unfreezing the bank account and FDs subject to conditions, it added.
The court directed the actress to give an undertaking supported by an affidavit stating that during the pendency and conclusion of the trial, she will make the balance amount, as shown on September 16, 2020, available for necessary orders.
The court separately ordered that the electronic gadgets seized be returned after due verification and identification upon executing a bond of ₹1 lakh.
Sarpande said a laboratory, where Chakraborty’s seized phone and laptop were sent for forensic analysis, has returned the items and the investigating officer in the case has informed her that she can collect them.
While granting her relief in the drugs case last year, the Bombay high court observed that Rhea was “not part of the chain of drug dealers”, and “she ha[d] not forwarded the drugs allegedly procured by her to somebody else to earn monetary or other benefits”.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on orders of Supreme Court, is separately probing abetment to suicide charges against Rhea, as alleged by Rajput’s family. The Enforcement Directorate and NCB are investigating different aspects of the case.
