In a significant development in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, the Bombay High Court has directed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to permanently return actress Rhea Chakraborty's passport. This ruling grants Chakraborty's plea for relaxation of her bail conditions imposed in the 2020 drugs case linked to Rajput's death.

Chakraborty was arrested in September 2020 and granted bail the following month. As part of her bail conditions, she was required to deposit her passport with the NCB and seek the trial court's permission each time she needed to travel abroad.

In her application to the court, Chakraborty, through her advocate Ayaz Khan, argued that this condition caused delays and negatively impacted her work assignments. Khan emphasized that Chakraborty had consistently complied with all bail conditions and never violated any court orders. He further stated that her profession as an actor requires frequent international travel for shoots, auditions, and meetings. The actress mentioned that the lengthy procedure of applying to court for permission, obtaining certified copies of orders, and coordinating with the NCB to retrieve her passport often results in her missing out on professional opportunities such as film shoots, auditions, OTT projects, and international events.

The NCB, represented by advocate S K Halwasia, opposed the plea, arguing that Chakraborty should not receive special treatment due to her celebrity status and raised concerns about her being a flight risk.

Justice Neela Gokhale, however, pointed out that similar relaxations had been granted to other accused individuals in the case. The court also noted Chakraborty's cooperation with the trial, her return after each permitted foreign trip, and her adherence to bail conditions. Justice Gokhale stated that there was "no reason to doubt" her availability for the trial's conclusion.

While allowing Chakraborty's plea, the High Court set forth several conditions:

• Chakraborty must continue to attend all trial dates unless exempted by the trial court.
• Before traveling abroad, she must provide the prosecuting agency with her complete itinerary, including hotel and flight details, at least four days in advance.
• She must share her contact number, keep her phone switched on, and notify authorities upon her return.
• The court also directed the prosecuting agency to return the passport to her within seven days.

The court clarified that Chakraborty shall appear before the trial court on every date unless express exemption by the court and shall cooperate with expeditious disposal of the pending trial.

Notably, a lookout notice against Rhea Chakraborty was quashed by the Bombay High Court earlier. In March 2025, the CBI's final report ruled out any foul play, confirming that Sushant Singh Rajput's death was a case of suicide. This officially cleared Rhea and her family of any wrongdoing.

The case, involving 33 accused, remains pending, with charges yet to be framed.