Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty has been arrested for allegedly buying drugs for her former boyfriend, actor Sushant Singh Rajput, whose reported suicide sparked a media storm in India.
Rajput, 34, was found dead in June in his Mumbai apartment, with police saying he took his own life. A star with many hit films to his name, his death initially triggered a debate over mental health in the multi-billion-dollar industry.
But Rajput's family disputed reports that he suffered from depression and accused Chakraborty, 28, of stealing his money and harassing him. She has strongly denied the allegations.
Chakraborty was arrested on Tuesday. Police have also detained others in connection with the case, including her brother and a member of Rajput's house staff.
India's top anti-crime agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, has been probing his death since last month. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was looking into the star's consumption of cannabis.
"We will be opposing bail petitions" for all suspects, NCB director Mutha Ashok Jain told reporters. The actress has been remanded to judicial custody until Tuesday, September 22.
The investigation has grabbed headlines for months, with the media closely following the back-and-forth allegations between Rajput's family and Chakraborty.
Some celebrities including actress Sonam Kapoor and director Anurag Kashyap accused TV channels of carrying out a "witch hunt" against Chakraborty.
Born in the eastern state of Bihar, Rajput quit engineering studies to pursue a career in acting and dance.
He got his big break in 2013 with Kai Po Che!, a film about cricket, love, and politics that won acclaim at the Berlin film festival.
He was also lauded for his portrayal of Indian cricket hero Mahendra Singh Dhoni in a hit 2016 biopic, M S Dhoni: The Untold Story.
In an interview with AFP that year, Rajput spoke of the emotional rollercoaster he experienced while filming the movie, which portrayed the heartbreak suffered by Dhoni when the cricketer's girlfriend died.
"After we did the preparation, in my head I was him and everything that was happening was actually affecting me," he said.
Rajput's last film was a Hindi remake of the Hollywood romance The Fault in Our Stars, titled Dil Bechara ('Poor Heart'), which was released in July.
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Sushant Singh Rajput attends the book launch of 'Boundless' in Mumbai on April 10, 2019. AFP -
Sushant Singh Rajput attends the Big Zee Entertainment Awards 2017 ceremony in Mumbai. AFP -
Sushant Singh Rajput was the male lead in 'Chhichhore', which follows seven young friends as they navigate college and hostel life. Fox Star Studios -
Sushant Singh Rajput in 'Sonchiriya', he played rebel, Lakhna. Courtesy Brain On Rent -
Sushant Singh Rajput played Ishaan Bhatt in 'Kai Po Che!' in 2013, his film debut. Courtesy UTV Motion Pictures -
Sushant Singh Rajput dances at the 14th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) at The Venetian hotel in Macau on July 6, 2013. AFP -
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput and actress Anushka Sharma in 'PK'. Courtesy Rajkumar Hirani Films -
Sushant Singh Rajput in 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story'. Courtesy: Empire International Gulf -
Sushant Singh Rajput in 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!'. Courtesy Yash Raj Films -
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput during promotion of his film 'Kai Po Che!' in January 2013 in Mumbai, India. Getty Images -
Sushant Singh Rajput poses for a profile shoot at Andheri in January 2015 in Mumbai, India. Getty Images -
Sushant Singh Rajput performs during the 18th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Festival at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. AFP -
Sushant Singh Rajput poses for a picture as he attends the Star Screen Awards ceremony in Mumbai on December 16, 2018. AFP -
Sushant Singh Rajput poses for a picture during the promotion of the upcoming Hindi film 'Sonchiraiya', in Mumbai on January 7, 2019. AFP -
Sushant Singh Rajput performs at the 'Umang Mumbai Police Show 2017’ in Mumbai in January 2017. AFP -
Sushant Singh Rajput poses for a photograph during the grand finale of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) on August 20, 2017 in Mumbai. AFP
