On Wednesday, Bombay High Court accepted the bail plea of Rhea Chakraborty after almost a month of her staying under judicial custody. The actress was lodged in Byculla jail after NCB arrested her on the charges of procurement of drugs for her boyfriend and late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The hearing was conducted by Justice Sarang Kotwal who has now mentioned that he is not of the opinion that celebrities must be treated harshly to set an example in the society.
Justice Kotwal, during the hearing said, “The learned ASG had argued that the celebrities and role models should be treated harshly so that it sets an example for the young generation and they do not get encouraged to commit such offences. I do not agree.”
He further stated, “Everybody is equal before law. No celebrity or role model enjoys any special privilege before the court of law. Similarly, such 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.”
The HC also observed, “It is also important to note that when the Applicant (Rhea) was produced before the Court for her first remand, the investigating agency did not seek her custody. That means, they are satisfied with her interrogation and she had cooperated in that investigation.”
While granting bail to Rhea, the court also conclusively mentioned in the hearing that the actress has not been a part of any drug cartel nor did she “forward drugs to someone else for monetary benefits”. At the moment, Rhea has been granted bail but with that the court has also laid down strict rules for her. Her passport has been confiscated and she will not be allowed to leave the city without the court’s permission. Along with this, she will have to present herself at the nearest police station for the next 10 days.