Sushant Singh Rajput, was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14. (File)The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Monday denied before the Bombay High Court the allegations of ‘illegal detention’ of Dipesh Sawant, Sushant Singh Rajput’s cook and accused in an alleged drug case, who was recently granted bail by the HC. Sawant challenged his arrest as being illegal and sought Rs 10 lakh compensation from the central government.
Sawant was arrested by the NCB on September 5 claiming his role in the procurement of drugs for the actor who died by suicide on June 14 at his Bandra residence. Sawant was granted bail by the HC on October 7.
In his petition filed in September this year, Sawant has claimed that he was detained illegally by the NCB before being formally arrested and produced in a court 36 hours later.
Sawant has also sought disciplinary action against the officers and compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the central government. The HC on November 6 had sought NCB’s affidavit in reply to Sawant’s plea and had posted the hearing to November 23.
A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik heard Sawant’s plea on Monday. After hearing submissions, the bench said that unless an ‘independent’ body or officer conducted an inquiry into allegations made by Sawant, it would be unable to adjudicate upon the prayers made in plea. To this, NCB submitted that Sawant’s allegations were untrue and therefore, there was no need for any inquiry. The court posted further hearing on December 4.