‘DON’T OBJECT TO RHEA BAIL, DISAGREE WITH HC OBSERVATIONS’

NEW DELHI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday said that it did not object to the bail granted to actor Rhea Chakraborty in a drugs-related case, submitting in the Supreme Court that its objections were to certain observations made by the Bombay high court in its bail order.

Arguing for an appeal against the bail order, solicitor general Tushar Mehta and additional solicitor general SV Raju appeared for the NCB.

“We are not here on the grant of bail. But there are certain observations made by the high court in the order regarding the applicability of the NDPS Act that could make the law unworkable,” Mehta told a bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde.

But the bench, which also included justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, said the NCB could not challenge the observations made in the facts of that case.

“You cannot file a petition challenging the observations. You can only challenge the order. The observations are prima facie. The observations are made in the facts of the case,” the bench said.

The comments from the court prompted Mehta to seek permission to amend the NCB’s petition. “Let this matter be heard next week. We will amend the petition and challenge the high court order,” he said.

The bench then adjourned the matter. Rhea, arrested in a case linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, was granted bail by the Bombay high court on October 7 last year.

Dismissing the NCB’s allegations that she financed or supported drug trafficking, the HC said, “She is not part of drug dealers.” There was no evidence to show she forwarded the drugs allegedly procured by her to earn monetary or other benefits, the court added.