Rhea Chakraborty NCB Arrest Case

The case originated from the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) launched an investigation into an alleged drug angle. In September 2020, NCB arrested Rhea Chakraborty, Rajput's girlfriend, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and two others for allegedly procuring and financing drugs. Rhea was charged under the NDPS Act with abetment and conspiracy. She spent nearly a month in jail before the Bombay High Court granted her bail, noting there was no evidence she was part of a drug trafficking syndicate. The case was heavily criticized as a media-driven witch-hunt fueled by political pressure. In 2023, the NCB filed a closure report and gave her a clean chit, citing insufficient evidence.

Rhea Chakraborty was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in October 2020, with the court stating she had no criminal antecedents and was not part of a drug dealing chain. In 2023, the NCB dropped all charges against her and her brother Showik in a closure report, formally clearing them due to a lack of evidence.

Whether the arrest was based on solid evidence or was a result of media trial and political vendetta; whether Rhea Chakraborty was targeted due to her relationship with Sushant Singh Rajput and subjected to gender bias; the reliability of leaked WhatsApp chats as evidence; and allegations of coercive interrogation to implicate Bollywood celebrities in a wider drug nexus.

The case triggered an unprecedented media frenzy, sparking debates on trial by media, the vilification of women in patriarchal narratives, and the misuse of stringent drug laws against individuals without evidence. It exposed the intersection of celebrity culture, mental health, and criminal justice, while also raising concerns about privacy violations through leaked personal chats. The case became a symbol of how public sentiment and sensationalism can compromise fair investigation.