Comedian Bharti Singh and her husband, Haarsh Limbachiyaa have applied for bail at the Esplanade Court and the matter will be heard today. The couple was arrested this weekend for the consumption of drugs after the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raided their residence and the production office and seized 86.5 gms of ganja.
On Sunday, a special court sent Bharti and Haarsh to 14-day judicial custody till December 4. In its judgment, the court observed that the couple was consuming drugs and therefore, no remand custody was required despite the NCB requesting a two-day remand for them. The agency told the court that they wanted to probe Haarsh’s alleged links with the drug peddlers and find out how the payments were made for buying the anti-narcotics substances.
As reported by Mid-Day, the court observed, “The drug seized from their residence is of a small quantity. Also, it’s a case of consumption only, hence police custody under such circumstances is not required.”
In its official statement on Saturday, the NCB mentioned that both Bharti and her husband had admitted to consuming drugs and they had also charged the latter for ‘financing’ them. “NCB raided production office & house of comedian Bharti Singh & from both the places 86.5 gms of Ganja was recovered. Both Bharti & her husband Harsh Limbachiya accepted the consumption of Ganja,” said NCB’s zonal head Sameer Wankhede.
Meanwhile, Bharti and Haarsh’s arrest by the NCB has met with a critical response with many asking why the agency is after individual consumers of drugs when it deals with bigger drug-related issues across borders. On Sunday, Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said, “The way NCB is arresting those who consume drugs… they are addicts who should be sent to rehab, not jail. NCB’s duty is to track down drug traffickers but no action is being taken against them. Is NCB protecting them by giving publicity, arresting drug addicts especially from the film industry?”