MUMBAI: Rhea Chakraborty's lawyer Satish Maneshinde on Saturday claimed that Sushant Singh Rajput was consuming psychotropic drugs even before Rhea Chakraborty came into his life and this habit was the reason behind Rhea parting away from his life. He called the case against his client Rhea and Showik Chakraborty is nothing but witch hunt by multiple central agencies.
Maneshinde arguing in a metropolitan court for Showik Chakraborty against the drugs allegations and his arrest said Showik's sister Rhea Chakraborty first met Sushant Singh Rajput at YRF in 2013. "Thereafter, they became close friends some time after April 13, 2019. Rhea was living with him till June 8, 2020. She was asked by Sushant to leave the house with her bags as there was a disagreement over the treatment of his mental health conditions as he was insisting on taking illegal and unwarranted prescription sent by his sister Priyanka. The doctor who had prescribed the medicines had not even consulted with Sushant and there was no online consultation or tele medicine. It is not in conformity with Pandemic Rules. The Whatsapp messages between Sushant Singh Rajput and his sister Priyanka are clear on the point," he said.
He further said, "Rhea was insisting on following the treatment of five doctors in Mumbai whom Sushant had met and consulted. He had stopped the line of treatment and was not taking prescribed medicines. He was, on the contrary, consuming psychotropic drugs regularly. Doctors had advised him to desist from drug consumption and instead take the prescribed medicines. Thereafter except one Whatsapp message each on Sushant and Rhea phones from Sushant, there was no further contact. Rhea had blocked Sushant Singh Rajput on her phone. She learnt on June 14, 2020 of his death," he stated.
"As a matter of fact, five doctors who were consulted by Sushant have made statements to police that Sushant Singh Rajput was under their treatment and that he had drug issues. These statements are in public domain. The five house mates and helps have made statements to Mumbai Police that Sushant consumed drugs and that it was much before Rhea came in his life. All of them were already living with Sushant and were hired much before April 13, 2019.
Both Showik and Rhea have never consumed Narcotic/Psychotropic Drugs. They are both ready and willing to take a blood and drug test," Maneshinde added.
"Rhea knows that he was consuming drugs even on the sets of Kedarnath when the movie was being shot in 2016-2017. It is not an addiction that he acquired after Rhea came in his life. He was consuming drugs even against medical advise. It is a case of a person who consumed it against medical advise and requests from Rhea. He enjoyed it in his life time and died," Maneshinde claimed.
"Mental health is a serious issue. Sushant was suffering from the age of 20 according to the doctors. It is not a minor incident as suggested by Sushant family lawyers. His sister gave him medicines illegally. His mother also suffered from several mental health issues which contributed to her early death. The arguments of Sushant family and lawyers that after Sushant met Rhea , his mental health deteriorated is utterly false. Mental health unlike Corona/ Covid can’t be afflicted by a person coming into contact with the other. It is primarily a genetic problem with which Sushant was suffering for several years and there is evidence to the effect that he was being treated for the same since the year 2013 and that his family was well aware of it," he claimed.
He further said, the NDPS prosecution has been foisted after ED and CBI have so far found no incriminating material of any abetment or siphoning of money by Rhea and family. "The allegations are false and make for no case. Mumbai police and ED have conducted forensic audit in the financial affairs of Sushant and Rhea and they have found no discrepancy in the accounts of Sushant or Rhea. The involvement of multiple agencies and parallel investigations is a complete witch hunt. There’s no flow of a single rupee from the account of Sushant to Rhea.
"The NDPS remand makes no ground for granting NCB remand. It is a case of bailable offences. Foisting 27A with no evidence or material is not sufficient to grant custody. This is a fit case for bail," Maneshinde added.