In a fresh development in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday charged a criminal case against Rhea Chakraborty and others for alleged dealings in banned drugs, PTI reported quoting officials. NCB is the third federal investigative agency probing the case apart from the ED and the CBI.

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The officials informed that various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) have been pressed in the complaint filed by the federal anti-drug agency. The case was taken up after the Narcotics Bureau received an official reference from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The case is related to the investigation conducted in the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, who was found hanging at his duplex flat in Mumbai’s Bandra area on June 14.

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The ED while questioning Rhea had obtained “deleted WhatsApp messages” allegedly indicating dealings in banned drugs from her phone. The agency recorded her statements on the issue under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said. Subsequently, CBI and NCB were informed of the alleged links.

Meanwhile, her lawyer Satish Maneshinde denied the allegations made against the 28-year-old actor. “Rhea has never consumed drugs in her life ever. She is ready for a blood test,” Maneshinde had said.

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She is the prime accused in this case and has stated in her petition before the Supreme Court that she was in a live-in relationship with the actor.