NDPS has defreezed Rhea Chakraborty’s bank account after a year, gadgets returned
Rhea Chakraborty’s bank account has been defreezed by the special court under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act.
Last year after she was booked in the drugs case following actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in June the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) froze the actress’s accounts.
The actress’s accounts were frozen by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) last year after she was booked in the drugs case following actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in June.
Rhea Chakraborty stated in her petition that she is “an actor/model by profession” and that “NCB frozen the bank accounts and FDs without reason by Notice dated 16/09/2020, and it is causing grave injustice and prejudice to her.”
Her application stated that she needs a bank account to pay her employees’ salaries and to meet various tax obligations, such as GST payments, among other things. According to the actress, the money in her bank accounts is enough to support her own lifestyle. Her younger brother is reliant on her as well. Her bank accounts had been frozen for ten months, she claimed, and this was causing her hardship, so they should be unfrozen.
The NCB was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Atul Sarpande, who opposed the application, claiming that the financial investigation into the case is still ongoing. Serpande argued that defrosting the accounts would jeopardise the investigation. It was also claimed that if the bank accounts were unfrozen, there was a high risk of the money being used in drug mafia and drug-related businesses. As a result, he advocated for the application to be rejected. However, the case’s investigating officer advised that the issue should be left to the court’s discretion.
Special judge DB Mane said, “From the reply of the investigating officer, it appears that there is no strong objection from the NCB side for defreezing the bank accounts and FDs of Chakraborty.” The judge further added, “In such circumstances, Chakraborty is entitled for defreezing the bank accounts and FDs subject to conditions and undertaking supported by an affidavit stating that during the pendency and conclusion of the trial of the case, she shall make the balance amount, as shown in the concerned account as on 16/09/2020, available for passing necessary orders, as and when required.”
The NCB was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Atul Sarpande, who opposed the application, claiming that the financial investigation into the case is still ongoing. Serpande argued that defrosting the accounts would jeopardise the investigation. It was also claimed that if the bank accounts were unfrozen, there was a high risk of the money being used in drug mafia and drug-related businesses. As a result, he advocated for the application to be rejected. However, the case’s investigating officer advised that the issue should be left to the court’s discretion.
