Rhea Chakraborty gets relief in Sushant Singh Rajput case: What the court said about unfreezing bank accounts and what it means

In a huge relief for Rhea Chakraborty, a special NDPS court in Mumbai has ordered the unfreezing of bank accounts linked to her, her brother Showik Chakraborty and their mother Sandhya. The accounts were frozen by the Narcotics Control Bureau in 2020 during its investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Here are the details of what happened, why the court intervened, and what awaits the actress.

After Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in 2020, the NCB launched a probe into a possible drugs angle in the case. The agency alleged the existence of a larger drug network within Bollywood, and named several individuals, including Rhea and her brother.

As part of the investigation, multiple bank accounts linked to the Chakraborty family were frozen, as the agency alleged they had alleged links with drug traffickers. An indictment was also filed pointing to a broader conspiracy. Many celebrities were questioned during the investigation.

In four separate orders issued on Saturday, the NDPS court noted a crucial procedural error. He pointed out that the National Central Bureau did not obtain the approval of the competent authority within the time frame stipulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

For this reason, the court found that the continued freezing of accounts was illegal.

The court described it as a “serious misstep” and said that the law clearly limits the power to freeze property, and that these safeguards were not followed in this case. It allowed the petitions filed by Rhea and her family and directed that the accounts be unfrozen and functionalized in accordance with the RBI guidelines.

The court also referred to the judgment of the Bombay High Court, which held that the power to freeze property is not absolute.

She stressed that authorities must have “clear reason to believe” that the property is linked to illegal activity and must report and confirm such acts within a specified period of time. Failure to do so makes the procedure invalid, the court said.

Notably, the court did not consider the merits of the allegations against Rhea or her family, and focused only on whether due process had been followed.

This is not Rhea’s first legal assistance. Last year, the Central Bureau of Investigation gave it a clean chit, ruling out foul play in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and stating it was a suicide.

In another significant development, the Bombay High Court ordered the return of her passport, easing travel restrictions imposed during her bail period.

In response, Rhea shared, “Patience has been my only passport for the past five years. Countless battles. Endless hope. Today, I hold my passport again. Ready for Chapter 2! Satyameva Jayate.”

On the work front, Rhea is all set to make a comeback with a new project directed by Hansal Mehta. She revealed that she was initially hesitant to address the matter.

“Hansal sir and the writer asked me what was stopping me. I told them that I had quit acting and they said that was the most important reason I should do it… Now I am happy that I said yes. It was different coming to the sets; I have lived such a long life in the last seven years. It is like cycling – something you will never forget,” she shared in an interview with Hindustan Times.