Getty ImagesBollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty was referred to as” a murderer” and” a gold digger.” After a hate-filled, violent advertising campaign in 2020 that claimed she had been involved in the demise of her professional partner Sushant Singh Rajput, she was slut-shamed and spent 27 days in prison.
The Indian government’s federal authorities have now revealed that neither Chakraborty nor her family played a part in Rajput’s death and that neither Chakraborty nor her family had any influence over his death.
Senior lawyer Satish Maneshinde, who fought Chakraborty’s case, claimed the Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI ) had “roughly investigated every aspect of the case from all angles and closed it” in a statement shared with the BBC.
The conclusions have been presented in a special prosecutor in Mumbai, which will then decide whether to dismiss the case or buy a new research.
According to Mr. Maneshinde, Chakraborty endured “untold sufferings” and was imprisoned” for no sin of hers.”
He urged advertising executives to “reflect upon what they did,” saying that the false tale in the social media and electronic press was completely uncalled for.
” Innocent persons were harassed and paraded before the internet and the analytical government. In any case, I hope this doesn’t happen again.
Female attorney Payal Chawla, on the other hand, said the “misogynistic storyline surrounding Chakraborty” was “deeply unsettling” and that the case” may serve as a sobering reminder of the perils of being judgmental.”
Since the CBI wanting to close the case broke over the weekend, Chakraborty herself has not commented. She and her brother and father, who were also named in a policeman problem filed over Rajput’s death, were seen visiting a temple on Monday.
Perhaps the only sign that the family feel vindicated comes from her brother Showik – who spent three months in prison before being freed on bail. He shared a photo with Rhea and the caption “Satyamev Jayate” – Sanskrit for “truth alone prevails”.
Getty ImagesOn June 14, 2020, Rajput was discovered dead in his Mumbai room. Mumbai police claimed the 34-year-old had mental health issues and appeared to have committed suicide. He was receiving treatment for these concerns.
Chakraborty, who had been living with Rajput for a time, had moved in with her kids a few days before his passing.
She later wrote on social media about her anguish,” Still struggling to encounter my emotions… an irreparable sensation in my soul… I did not come to terms with you not being here again.”
The celebrity was the subject of a storm after Rajput’s parents filed a police problem, accusing Chakraborty of stealing his father’s money and contributing to his suicide. He also refuted his son’s claim that he has a mental illness.
The Rajput family has not made any comments regarding the most recent developments surrounding his passing.
Chakraborty appealed to the government to set up a just investigation into the death, saying she consistently denied all the allegations made against her.
However, the tragedy, which occurred during a lockdown while India was battling the coronavirus pandemic, became the biggest prime time story for a nation glued to their televisions.
And Chakraborty was the target of misogynistic abuse, with trolls calling her a “witch,” a “fortune huntress,” a “mafia moll,” and” sex bait to catch wealthy men.” She was threatened with rape and death.
Some of India’s most well-known television personalities dedicated their entire programs to examining the case, describing her as a “manipulative” woman who “performed black magic” and “drove Sushant to suicide.”
A prominent news anchor was hysterically gesticulating and making fun of Chakraborty, according to a video that went viral at the time that it was portrayed. A female anchor claimed she had” a bagful of documents” to prove the actress ‘ guilt on another channel when she entered the live studio.
Three months after Rajput’s death, Chakraborty was detained, and the vicious hate campaign persisted.
Getty ImagesShe launched a clothing line and her own podcast with celebrity interviews a month later, has since tried her hand at motivational speaking, and has since reinvented herself as a businesswoman. She also produces a reality television program.
Chakraborty has also discussed how her family and name-calling were both hurt during her ordeal.
I tried reaching out to people in the [ Hindi film ] industry and requesting any roles. But then I realized that due to everything that had happened, people wouldn’t cast you, she told Humans of Bombay last year.
” I was very upset for a long time. However, it made me feel acidic and that I had digestive issues. So it became crucial for me to forgive,” she said, adding that I have not forgiven everyone. Some people are on my list of potential clients.
Many people are now suggesting on social media that she sues those who demonize her, but it is not clear what legal action she is considering.
While neither the actress nor her attorney have yet to say what they intend to do, columnist Namita Bhandare points out that recovering compensation in India is not simple given the country’s overburdened judiciary and millions of pending court cases.
A defamation case can go on for ten years, and she might receive an apology at the conclusion. Would she even bother to do that?
Since she wasn’t a well-known actor or director, Chakraborty” came out in the middle of nowhere” in the interest of a juicy story, according to Ms Bhandare, she “degenerated into a household name.”
The columnist continued,” What happened was in keeping with the customary Indian notions of blaming the female partner left behind, and it also highlighted the “dark side of social media, which typically finds a villain and then sets about demolishing their reputation.
Getty ImagesRecently, some of the videos of well-known news anchors making disparaging remarks about Chakraborty have resurfaced and are widely shared on social media. Many people are clamoring that the presenters apologize to her, including some of the actress ‘ Bollywood colleagues.
You engaged in a witch-hunt. You caused a lot of suffering and harassment just for TRPs, a metric used to calculate advertising reach. I apologise. That’s the bare minimum you can do, said Dia Mirza, a star of Bollywood, on Instagram.
Journalist Rohini Singh requested specific TV channels ‘ names and whether they would apologize to Chakraborty.
“If they have any shame, any shred of human decency they should issue a grovelling apology for slandering her, telling outrageous lies, getting her imprisoned only because they were determined to run an agenda,” she posted on X.
On Tuesday, the issue was also brought up in parliament. Sagarika Ghosh, a journalist who now serves as an MP, questioned the assassination Chakraborty was the subject of.
She was the target of “intimidating” news channels. She has been proven innocent today. But who will recoup her years after she endured such humiliation from the media? She inquired.