The Mumbai Sessions Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by actor Deepika Padukone’s former manager, Karishma Prakash, in the drug probe that was initiated after actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in 2020, ANI reported.
However, the court granted interim protection to Prakash till August 25 so that she can approach the Bombay High Court.
The court also directed Prakash to visit the office of the Narcotics Control Bureau on August 12 and August 19 between 11 am and 2 pm for investigation in the case and asked her to notify the NCB regarding any change in her contact details.
Earlier, during the probe in 2020, Prakash was questioned by the NCB in connection with the case. Later, fearing arrest, she had moved the court applying for anticipatory bail.
The NCB had allegedly found drugs while raiding Prakash’s house in November 2020.
Rajput died by suicide on June 14, 2020 in Mumbai. His death sparked several controversies regarding mental health issues and nepotism in the Hindi film industry. It also resulted in a massive drug probe, which is being investigated by the NCB and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Rajput’s girlfriend and actor Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty were initially arrested in September 2020 for their alleged involvement in drug procurement, but are now out on bail. While granting bail to the actor, the court had said that she was “not a part of the drug dealers.”
In September 2020, NCB’s Deputy DG of the South-Western Region, Mutha Ashok Jain, had mentioned that more than 18 people had been arrested up until then.
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In March 2021, the NCB’s Mumbai Zonal Unit had submitted an 11,700-page charge sheet naming the Chakraborty siblings as well as Agisilaos Demetriades (brother of Arjun Rampal’s partner Gabriella Demetriades) and Kshitij Prasad (former Dharma Productions employee), along with 29 others. Among the 33 accused, eight continue to remain in custody.
Several celebrities have been issued a notice or summoned by the NCB related to the same drugs case till date, including Padukone, Karan Johar, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Bharti Singh, and Arjun Rampal’s sister Komal Rampal.