Rhea Chakraborty’s brother Showik Chakraborty has been in the custody since September 4. Every time he seeks bail, the Bombay High Court rejects. Showik is arrested by the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) in a drug case. In a bail application filed before the special NDPS court earlier this week, Showik Chakraborty said that in light of last month’s Supreme Court judgment, which held that statements made before NCB officers cannot be considered as confessions, there is no reason to keep him behind bars.
The NCB had arrested actor Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty in a drug probe related to the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. After spending almost a month in Byculla jail, Rhea Chakraborty was granted bail by Bombay High Court on October 7, however, Showik continued to be in custody till now as his custody was extended till November 3.
Showik’s bail plea, filed through lawyer Satish Maneshinde, said that no drug was recovered from his possession and NCB’s only evidence is the statements of the co-accused. According to the Indian Express report, the bail plea added that Showik was denied bail on the grounds that voluntary statements were made by other accused detailing his role in the case.
The plea said that these statements now cannot be allowable evidence after the SC ruled that NCB officers are to be considered “police officers” and hence, all statements recorded by them under Section 67 of the NDPS Act cannot be considered confessions.
After the SC’s judgment, the NCB had said that there is sufficient evidence in terms of digital records to prove the involvement of the accused in the case.