Ubaidullah Nasir
So finally actress Rhea Chakraborty has been arrested by Narcotics Control board for allegedly supplying drugs to her boyfriend actor Sushant Singh Rajput who was found dead in his Mumbai flat on 14th June this year. From day one his unfortunate death has been under clouds and it was also being given political colour by BJP to trap Mahrashtra CM Udhav Thackeray son and Maharashtra minister Aditya Thakre as few days before he is said to be in a party consisting of some other friends of late Sushant Singh who were also friendly to Rhea . Sushant committed suicide as circumstantial evidences suggested or he was murdered as is alleged by pro BJP people. His death was under probe by Mumbai police but Sushant Singh being a Bihari and Bihar assembly elections are round the corner so this death may be used for campaign in Bihar by BJP JDU combine as hoarding and posters appearing in Bihar suggests. BJP is keen in settling scores with Shiv Sena and JDU in this case is behaving just His Master’s Voice. Bending to BJP pressure Bihar government approached Supreme Court to seek CBI probe into Sushant’s death and SC as if it was willingly ready allowed the CBI probe. Is not this surprising that the crime happened in Maharashtra which was being probed by Maharashtra police but CBI probe was requested by Bihar government just because Sushant was a Bihari. In legal terms Bihar government has no locus standii to seek probe from any other agency or interfere in the probe. Place of crime and area of police station has very important role in a crime’s probe. There have been many instances where there was dispute between two police stations on place of crime and unless finally settled by high ups probe has not started. Here the open fact is that place of crime is Maharashtra so why Bihar police personnel were sent for probe and when Maharashtra police objected and did not allowed Bihar police team to start probe very cleverly SC was unfortunately used to stop Maharashtra police from probe.
With this tragic death whether suicide or murder another murderous campaign was started by media. Sushant’s girl friend Rhea Charaborty was targeted and her media trial started. Most of national news channel were so over enthusiast in fixing Rhea for the death of her boyfriend. For them all other national issues were meaningless worsening law and order situation in UP falling economy, increasing unemployment Chinese aggression all were neglected and all this was being shamelessly done not only for TRP but for votes to BJP JDU combine in Bihar. A poor girl who was mourning the death of her boyfriend was being hounded not only by CBI,NCB team but in shameful “paprazi style” by TV crew also. The main crime, Sushant’s death or suicide went into backyard and crime allegedly related to drugs and money laundering overshadowed his death. It seems that the probe is more against Rhea and an effort to any how fix her and to send her behind bars than to uncover the mystery of Sushant’s death. It is high time that frenzied media trial is stopped in subjudice cases as it is nothing but blatant misuse of right of freedom of expression and open character assassination. In court trial one may be acquitted but his/her loss of face, reputation mental torture not only of victim but of his family and friends due to media trial could never be recovered.
The Narcotics Control bureau which is presently headed by IPS officer Asthana who was removed from CBI following a dispute with his superior Ranjit Singh is known as a blue eyed boy of BJP leaders specially from Gujarat. Though no narcotics has been recovered from either Rhea Chakraborty or her brother Shouvik but on the basis of statement by Sushant’s domestic servants that they have procured drug( Marijuana/Ganja) on the directions of Sushant and Rhea. However,Rhea’s advocate Satish Maneshinde has said that it is complete travesty of justice.The court has remanded Rhea to 14 days judicial custody.
In the meantime already polarized Bollywood is divided into pro and anti Rhea camp. Though many stalwarts of fil industry in Mumabi have reacted on this case according to their political affiliations but actress kangna Ranaut has head on taken with Maharashtra government and ruling Shiv Sena,but Shiv Sena is not like anyother political party it has its own peculiar style of politics. It has started probe against her blaming her to be drug addicts and demanding probe also BMC is probing about the construction of her multi storey complex and if any legal flaw is found in its construction it will not hesitate in demolishing it. BJP is giving her full support so much so that she has been provided Y + security on the basis of her just one statement that she is afraid and feels unsafe in Mumbai.When last year actor Amir Khan and his wife (not Muslim) have said similar words they were advised to go to Pakistan.Bollywood was known for its secular credentials and a grand family like culture till the emergence of Modinomics which has badly polarized it. Is not this shameful that security to Nehru Gandhi family members whose two members (one sitting PM Indira Gandhi and the other waiting PM Rajeev Gandhi ) were assassinated by terrorists and whose present generation too is under threats has been downgraded.
The death weather natural or murder has opened a political Pandora box. If Sushant’s death can be politically encashed in Bihar assembly elections by terming him as son of Bihar then why Rhea’s mental torture her arrest and media trial can’t be politically encashed by terming her as daughter of Bengal by Mamta Banerjee who is expert in returning to her political opponents in same coin. Let us watch this shameful political jugglery helplessly.