SC turns down demand for CBI probe ED seeks copy of FIR
nNEW DELHI/PATNA: The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down the demand for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput even as his family and the Bihar government filed separate caveats to deny actor Rhea Chakraborty, who is accused of abetting the suicide, any immediate relief in the case.
The top court’s order came on a public interest litigation that asked for a court-monitored probe and said Rajput was a generous person who supported charities. But the bench, comprising Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, wasn’t convinced. “This matter has nothing to do with the fact whether the person was good or bad. The case is being investigated by the Mumbai Police. We are dismissing this petition,” the bench said. The 34-year-old actor was found dead in his Bandra flat in Mumbai on June 14. Since then, Mumbai Police have questioned 45 people, including top directors and producers but the family of the actor – who hailed from Bihar – has remained unconvinced with the probe.
Last week, Rajput’s father KK Singh filed a police complaint in Patna that accused Chakraborty and her family members of abetting the suicide, prompting Bihar Police to send a team of officers to
Mumbai for the probe. Chakraborty and Rajput were in a live-in relationship.
On Wednesday, Chakraborty filed a petition in the apex court asking the FIR to be transferred to Mumbai from Bihar. She alleged that Rajput’s father used his influence to rope her into the case. But on Thursday, Rajput’s family filed a caveat seeking her petition not be heard without a notice or a hearing to the family. Later, Bihar government also filed a caveat and announced it hired senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi to oppose Chakraborty’s plea. Advocate Keshav Mohan appearing for Bihar, confirmed the development and said, “The Bihar government is a necessary party in this case as the petition by Rhea Chakraborty has challenged the jurisdiction of Bihar government to pursue the FIR lodged by KK Singh.” A caveat is a pre-emptive legal measure taken to ensure that a party does not get any favourable order without a notice or a hearing accorded to the opponent.
A senior Bihar government official said the administration might recommend CBI probe in the case. In Mumbai, the Bihar police team visited Kotak Bank’s Bandra West branch where Rajput held an account, triggering allegations by Maharashtra that the team was not following “protocols” of an interstate probe.
Bihar’s central range IG Sanjay Singh said Bihar Police team informed Mumbai police when they arrived there.
nNEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked for a copy of the FIR registered by Bihar Police against Rhea Chakraborty and others in connection with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, officials said on Thursday.
The agency will study the police FIR to assess if it merits a probe under the prevention of money laundering act (PMLA). Sushant Singh Rajput’s father, Krishna Kumar Singh, has alleged in his complaint to the
Bihar Police that there was a transaction of Rs 15 crore from one of the accounts of his son. He has also alleged that Chakraborty had kept Rajput away from his family and completely in her possession, and that she was also handling his bank account.
If the case merits an investigation, the ED will probe if anyone used the actor’s income for money laundering and creating illegal assets.
On Tuesday, the actor’s father had lodged an FIR against Chakraborty, her family members and six others on charges of alleged abetment to suicide.