MAHESH BHATT TO BE CALLED IN SOON

Sushant Singh Rajput case: Next in queue is Karan Johar's manager

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Sunday that the Bandra Police, which is investigating actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case, will now record the statement of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. The police have also summoned filmmaker Karan Johar's manager to record his statement and, if need be, Johar too will be called, added Deshmukh.

Bhatt will record his statement in a day or two while Johar's manager will be called later.

The police have already recorded statements of around 37 people, including filmmaker and Yash Raj Films (YRF) chairman Aditya Chopra, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and film critic Rajeev Masand, in connection with the case.

Summons have also been sent to actor Kangana Ranaut. She is currently in Manali and the police have sent summons by post. Ranaut was called to record her statement af ter she openly criticised nepotism and the filmmaker's cartel in Bollywood, said an official. Recently, Sushant's close friend, Rhea Chakraborty, demanded that the probe be handed over to central agencies. However, Deshmukh said that the Mumbai Police were capable of handling the probe and said there was no need for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to step in. The 34-year-old actor was found hanging at his Bandra residence on June 14. Following the incident, the Mumbai Police have begun their investigation into allegations of professional rivalry, besides the clinical depression which reportedly drove the actor to suicide.