In a major relief to Rhea Chakraborty, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to return the actor's passport, which the central law enforcement and intelligence agency had seized in connection with the 2020 drugs case linked to the late actor and her former partner Sushant Singh Rajput's death.
Rhea Chakraborty took to Instagram to share an emotional post following the relief.
Sharing a picture of her passport, Rhea Chakraborty captioned it, "Patience was my only passport for the past five years. Countless battles. Endless hope. Today, I hold my passport again. Ready for my Chapter 2!"
The Case
Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on September 8, 2020. This was in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput's death on June 14, 2020.
The actress was granted bail in October 2020, on the condition that her passport would remain in the NCB's custody. Additionally, she had to obtain the trial court's permission every time she travelled abroad.
Rhea Chakraborty's Plea And NCB's Objection
Rhea's lawyer, Ayaz Khan, had recently filed a plea requesting the release of her passport. He argued that keeping her passport restricted her from travelling abroad for work commitments such as shoots, auditions, and meetings. He stressed that the actress had never violated any court order since her bail.
The NCB opposed this, stating that Rhea Chakraborty's celebrity status should not grant her any special concessions. They also claimed that the actress might not return to India if permitted to travel abroad.
New Rules
Rhea Chakraborty has finally got back her passport. The relaxed rules still require her to inform authorities when she is travelling and to notify them about her trip abroad in advance. From flight and hotel details to trip itinerary, everything has to be shared.
The case is still pending, and charges are yet to be framed. However, Rhea Chakraborty's good conduct has led to her receiving her passport back after five years. She must continue to attend her trial dates and keep her phone switched on at all times.
In A Nutshell
Rhea Chakraborty has regained her passport from the NCB after five years in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput drug case. The actress took to social media to share her first post expressing gratitude.