Sushant Singh Rajput case: Mumbai court clears Australian national in drug probe

Sushant Singh Rajput

In a significant development in the ongoing investigation related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, a Mumbai court has discharged an Australian national, Paul Bartels, from a drug case connected to the high-profile incident.

Bartels, a friend of Agisilaos Demetriades—the brother of actor Arjun Rampal’s partner Gabriella—was arrested in November 2020 by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). His arrest was part of a broader probe into alleged drug use within Bollywood, sparked by the tragic demise of Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020.

The court's decision to discharge Bartels marks a notable turn in the case. Special Judge Mahesh Jadhav, who oversees cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, granted Bartels' discharge application on August 9, 2024.

The detailed order, made public recently, revealed that there was insufficient evidence to justify Bartels' continued involvement in the case.

Bartels had sought discharge on the grounds that his arrest was based solely on statements made by co-accused Agisilaos Demetriades and Nikhil Saldhana.

He argued that no incriminating evidence was found during the NCB's search of his residence, and his lawyers pointed out the absence of any independent material linking him to the alleged offenses.

The NCB had argued that Bartels was involved in purchasing drugs from the co-accused, who were also linked to Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and Sushant Singh Rajput.

However, the court found that apart from the statements of the co-accused, there was no other material evidence to establish Bartels' connection to the drug transactions.

In its ruling, the court emphasized that the statements of co-accused individuals made during investigations are not legally admissible as evidence unless corroborated by other material. Given the lack of such evidence, the court concluded that no charges could be framed against Bartels.

This ruling comes as a part of the larger investigation into drug use in Bollywood following Rajput's death, which has seen several arrests and extensive media coverage.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continues to probe the circumstances surrounding Sushant Singh Rajput's death, which was initially reported as suicide.