Rhea Chakraborty, who is accused of abetting Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide by his family, appeared before the NCB for questioning in the drugs case linked to the death of the actor and her live-in partner.
Several Bollywood personalities, including actors Taapsee Pannu, Swara Bhasker, and filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, criticised media's mobbing of actor Rhea Chakraborty, flouting all standard protocols amid COVID-19 pandemic, as she reached Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office on Sunday.
Rhea Chakraborty, who is accused of abetting Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide by his family, appeared before the NCB for questioning in the drugs case linked to the death of the actor and her live-in partner.
According to viral visuals from several channels on social media, the 28-year-old actor was seen being heckled and pushed by the media as she made her way to the NCB office, escorted by Mumbai Police.
Media's behaviour was criticised by Twitter users, including celebrities from the fraternity who called it "disgusting".
Pannu took to Twitter and lamented over the treatment being meted out to Rhea Chakraborty in the case.
"In the name of justice these people have lynched a human being off her right to live even before proven guilty. I sincerely pray karma finds the address of each and every human being part of this lowest low of mankind we are witness to," the actor wrote.
This was the "lowest" the country had stooped to, said Bhasker.
"India... witness our lowest! Shameful witch hunt! Disgusting," she wrote.
Mirza said the behaviour by the media present on ground was "reprehensible".
"The law must and will take it's course. This behaviour reprehensible in every way. Enough! Why can't Rhea be given space and the right to physical distancing? Why are the media behaving like vultures? Please please give her space. Stop attacking/dehumanising her & her family," the actor wrote.
The NCB, over the last two days, has arrested Rhea Chakraborty's younger brother Showik Chakraborty (24), Rajput's house manager Samuel Miranda (33) and Dipesh Sawant, a member of the actor's personal staff, in this case.
Sinha said the video of Rhea Chakraborty's entry into the NCB office was representative of the "power of media over law and order in Mumbai".
"And yes, this is much worse than being called names. Any names," he added.
Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava said it's sad how the entire country's focus was on Rhea Chakraborty.
"No thoughts about the economy, the pandemic or anything else of consequence. Indians are only interested in burning Rhea at the stake. That is what makes our people happy and fulfilled and validated. No amount of hate and venom is enough. We are sick. Very very sick," she tweeted.
Various angles surrounding the death of Rajput, 34, are being probed by three federal agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The NCB initiated a drug angle probe in this case after the ED shared with it a report following the cloning of two mobile phones of Rhea Chakraborty.
Rajput was found dead at his flat in suburban Bandra area on June 14.