SSR case: Bombay HC maintains criminal charges against actor's sister Priyanka Singh

In a major blow to the family of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Bombay high court has rejected the plea requesting to quash an FIR that has been filed against his sister Priyanka Singh.

Priyanka Singh most likely have to face prosecution for allegedly sending the actor a prescription with medicines containing psychotropic substances controlled under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

The FIR against Sushant's sister was filed by his former girlfriend and actress Rhea Chakraborty who has already been facing legal charges in his death case, on September 7, 2020.

A division bench of justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik, however, quashed criminal proceedings against Meetu Singh, another sister of the late actor, after finding that there wasn't any prove of her being involved in the criminal act.

"We are of the considered opinion that the FIR against petitioner Meetu Singh does not survive," the bench said.

"However, the FIR against petitioner Priyanka Singh is not quashed as we prima facie find that a case was made out," the court said.

As per the complaint filed by Rhea Chakraborty, on June 8, 2020, Singh had sent the late actor prescriptions given by one Dr. Tarun Kumar, a cardiologist attached to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi without examining the actor, and had alleged that consumption of the psychotropic substances in the prescribed medicines may have contributed to the death of the actor.

The sisters have then moved the high court demanding the court to quash the FIR, claiming the statements made therein did not make out any cognisable offence.