Bombay HC directs NCB to return Rhea Chakraborty's passport
What's the story
The Bombay High Court has ordered the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to return actor Rhea Chakraborty's passport. The court's decision comes as a major relief to Chakraborty, who was arrested in a drugs case in 2020 following the untimely death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The actor had argued that the confiscation of her passport, a condition of her bail, led to missed professional opportunities.
Bail condition
The reason behind the plea
Chakraborty was arrested in September 2020 and granted bail the following month. As part of her bail conditions, she had to deposit her passport with the NCB and seek permission from the trial court for any foreign travel. However, this condition caused delays and made her miss work assignments, according to her recent application filed through advocate Ayaz Khan.
Professional requirements
NCB's stand and the court's observations
Khan emphasized that Chakraborty's profession required frequent international travel for shoots, meetings, and auditions. He also pointed out that the actor had complied with all bail conditions and never violated court orders. The NCB, represented by advocate SK Halwasia, opposed the plea on grounds of special treatment due to celebrity status and potential flight risk.
Court's observation
Court noted similar relaxations were granted to other accused
Justice Neela Gokhale observed that similar relaxations had been granted to other accused in the case. She highlighted that Chakraborty had cooperated with the trial, returned after every approved foreign trip, and never breached bail conditions. The court stated there was "no reason to doubt" her availability for the trial's conclusion.
Trial conditions
The bench imposed certain conditions on Chakraborty
While approving her plea, the bench directed that Chakraborty must continue to appear for all trial dates unless excused by the trial court. Before traveling abroad, she is required to submit her full itinerary, including hotel and flight details, to the prosecuting agency at least four days in advance. Meanwhile, in March, the CBI submitted the closure report for the investigation into Rajput's (34) death and concluded that there was no sign of foul play.