The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) that it would have to challenge the Bombay High Court order

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) that it would have to challenge the Bombay High Court order granting bail to actress Rhea Chakraborty in a drugs-related case if it wanted to assail adverse remarks made in the judgement.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde took note of the submission of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for NCB that the probe agency was not pressing against the grant of bail to the actress.

Rhea Chakraborty and Sushant Singh Rajput

The law officer said the high court made certain very “wide-ranging observations” about the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and they will make it very difficult for the agency to prosecute and ensure conviction.  

“You cannot challenge the bail order observations without challenging the bail order itself,” said the bench which also comprised Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

Mehta then said the NCB would amend the petition and challenge the bail order as well.

Rhea Chakraborty's brother Showik

The high court had granted bail to the actress on October 7 last year and directed her to deposit a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.

It had however rejected the bail plea of her brother Showik Chakraborty, also an accused in the case, and alleged drug peddler Abdel Basit Parihar.