TIMES NEWS NETWORK | THE TIMES OF INDIA (August 28, 2020)

Mumbai: A day after her name cropped up in a drug case being probed by the Narcotics Control Bureau, actor Rhea Chakraborty denied ever taking drugs and claimed it was her boyfriend, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who, in fact, used to smoke marijuana.

Stating it was unfortunate one’s vices were being exploited when they are no more, she said, “Yes, Sushant used to smoke marijuana and drink regularly.” She added she had tried hard to make him cut down. Denying allegations of controlling the later actor’s life and being a gold digger, she said, “Just get a gun and shoot my family and me or we will just commit suicide. Who will be responsible then?”

Chakraborty made the statements in a television interview to India Today. The actor also said Rajput’s mental sanity was destroyed after #MeToo allegations surfaced against him in 2018. She said he was upset over not getting due credit for his films. She said she was unaware of the impact of Disha Salian’s death on him as she was not with him at the time.

She denied having met or spoken to minister Aditya Thackeray whose name has cropped up through unsubstantiated claims. “My friend is named Anaya Udhas, and her name is saved as AU on my phone,” she said.

Chakraborty added one of the main reasons for Rajput’s depression was the loss of his mother who also suffered from mental illness and was depressed.

Chakraborty revealed Rajput never discussed taking such a step and that is why she cannot understand what happened. “Between June 8 and 14, I was neither at the house nor communicating with him. His sister and others were there. Why doesn’t his sister come forward and say what happened?” she asked.