5 things Bombay high court said while granting bail to Rhea Chakraborty

The Bombay high court on Wednesday granted bail to actor Rhea Chakraborty who was arrested by Narcotics Control Bureau on September 8 after the agency brought drug-related charges against her in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Rajput was found dead on June 14 in his Mumbai residence.

The verdict comes just a day after an NDPS court extended her judicial custody till October 20. Rhea Chakraborty is likely to walk out of the Byculla prison on Wednesday — after a month. 

Here is what the high court observed in its verdict: 

1. The Bombay HC said it doesn’t think that celebrities and role models should be treated harshly so that it sets an example for the young generation. 

2. “I do not agree. Everybody in equal before law. No celebrity or role model enjoys any special privilege before the court of law. Similarly, such a person also does not incur any special liability when he faces law in the courts. Each case will have to be decided on its own merits irrespective of the status of the accused,” it said.

3. “She is not part of drug dealers. She has not forwarded the drugs allegedly procured by her to somebody else to earn monetary or other benefits,” the high court observed. 

4. “Since she has no criminal antecedents, there are reasonable grounds for believing that she is not likely to commit any offence while on bail,” the high court said. 

5. “There are reasonable grounds for believing that she is not guilty of any offence punishable under Sections 19, 24 or 27A(of NDPS Act) or any other offence involving commercial quantity,” the high court noted.