Is Rhea’s arrest by NCB a witch hunt? | Two sides with Afrida

NCB remand copy for Rhea Chakraborty’s arrest says she was part of a drug syndicate. She procured drugs for her beau Sushant and acted as a conduit with drug peddlers. She handled the payments of these deliveries as reported by the Sushant’s man Friday and house help. So under relevant sections of Narcotics Drugs and psychotropic substances (NDPS) act, she is liable for arrest. In fact, Rhea has corroborated the statements of the other accused that she used to receive deliveries, thereby facilitating drug consumption. Narcotics control bureau was roped in into this case by ENforcement directorate since they accessed communication in Rhea’s phone with regard to drug procurement.

Given that Sushant is said to be under medication for mental illness this becomes a crucial factor as to whether there was any pilferage in actually prescribed drugs that proved to be further damaging for his mental state. NCB later found out that indeed there was communication with active drug peddlers that Rhea and her brother was involved in and therefore for colluding with a drug racket, NCB is responsible to prosecute Rhea. Therefore this would look like a witch-hunt only to those who have already decided Rhea is not guilty. For those who go by the law of the land, this is very much within the due process of law. In law taking its own course, NCB is bound by sections of NDPS to arrest and prosecute violators. It would be a dereliction of duty if they don’t. Further, this is an ongoing investigation, Rhea’s arrest is part of the process towards cracking the larger case of foul play in Sushant’s death. It is not a final indictment on anyone’s guilt.

But yes there’s a strong counter-narrative to all of this. Let’s remember that NCB arrest comes in a case that was originally supposed to investigate a case of a mysterious death. This was never a case of drug peddling. In fact, this is not the case filed against Rhea in the FIR by Sushant’s family where she is accused of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, illegal confinement and theft but not drug abuse. Drug menace is rampant in many parts across India so for a central agency to scoop down on a 28 yr old girl for cajoling her boyfriend into drugs based on the recovery of 59 gms of marijuana becomes totally farcical given the drug use in the country. And yes there’s a general mindset that such a shining star could not possibly be mentally ill, somebody drugged him, someone must have influenced him. That’s such a flawed argument because mental health issues are a glaring reality and no one is immune to it.

By virtue of being someone’s girlfriend doesn’t make anyone responsible for the partner’s vices. There are clear misogyny and patriarchy at play. Therefore it’s a witch-hunt to apportion blame on the most convenient target - the woman in his life! Is the man incapable of indulging in drugs on his own volition? Does he have to be infallible? Does he become the Paragon of virtue and she the repository of vice?

#TwoSidesWithAfrida

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