Mumbai’s NDPS Special Court has delivered a major victory to Rhea Chakraborty, ordering the immediate unfreezing of bank accounts held by the actress, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and mother Sandhya Chakraborty. The decision stems from procedural lapses by the Narcotics Control Bureau in the Sushant Singh Rajput drugs investigation.
Delivered on April 25, the order highlights the NCB’s non-compliance with Section 68F of the NDPS Act. The law mandates that any property or account freeze must receive competent authority approval within 30 days—a step the agency overlooked.
Accounts at major banks including ICICI, Axis, and Kotak Mahindra are now accessible, ending a freeze imposed since 2020. Back then, the NCB invoked the measure to safeguard evidence in the drug angle that emerged post-Sushant Singh Rajput’s tragic demise.
Rhea’s advocates had challenged the freeze, claiming it violated due process. The court’s ruling agrees, deeming the action void due to the absence of requisite permissions.
This isn’t just relief for the family; it’s a reminder of the checks and balances in anti-drug enforcement. With financial access restored, the Chakrabortys can now focus on other aspects of the ongoing saga that gripped the nation four years ago.
Legal experts predict this could influence future NCB operations, urging stricter procedural adherence amid Bollywood’s tangled web of scandals.
