IT News
Mumbai, Aug 5:
Amid a political turf war between Maharashtra and Bihar over jurisdiction, the Central Government on Wednesday told Supreme Court that they have accepted the recommendation to hand over the Sushant Singh Rajput death case investigation to the CBI.
The petition will now be heard in the next week. The Enforcement Directorate is already inquiring into the alleged misappropriation of money from Sushant’s bank account by his his former live-in partner and actor Rhea Chakarborty
On Tuesday, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had made the recommendation to hand over the case of abetment of Sushant’s suicide, registered against Rhea to the CBI following a request from Sushant’s father K.K. Rajput.
The case has seen many ups and downs ever since Sushant’s father KK Singh
filed a complaint against Rhea in Patna. While Mumbai Police had filed an ADR (Accidental Death Report) at the time of the actor’s death, the FIR was lodged by the Bihar Police after KK Singh’s 25 July complaint.
This also resulted in much tension between the police of the Maharashtra and Bihar. Bihar IPS Vinay Tiwari (SP, Patna – Central), who landed in Mumbai to investigate the case, was ‘ quarantined’ for 14 days. Sushant’s family, along with the Bihar government, had been seeking a CBI probe in the matter and today the Centre said that it has accepted the recommendation to hand over the case to CBI.
Supreme Court: As of now, perhaps Mumbai Police have registered a case of unnatural death. FIR filed in Patna has raised certain other issues also. This case has hogged too much of media time and attention. For police personnel (Patna IPS officer Vinay Tiwari) to be quarantined does not send a good message. Are you sending the right message? The Maharashtra Police, Bihar Police, Centre and Sushant Singh Rajput’s families should file replies within three days. Maharashtra Police also have to file a report on the state of investigation.
Senior Advocate R Basant for Maharashtra government : Somebody who has not even filed a complaint before the Mumbai Police is claiming Mumbai Police is not doing proper investigation. Mumbai Police has been thoroughly investigating [the case]. Bihar Police have no right to sit in judgment of our investigation. Under principle of federalism, Mumbai Police is investigating. All allegations thrown on Mumbai Police investigation are politically motivated.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Union of India: Now that the CBI is taking over, whether Bihar Police are doing a good job or Maharashtra Police are doing a good job is not important. Let evidence not be destroyed.
Senior advocate Shyam Divan for Rhea Chakraborty : In light of the statement made by the Solicitor General, the court should hear me. Our request is to transfer the investigation of FIR registered at Rajiv Nagar Police Station in Patna from the state of Bihar. This was what we were seeking transfer of. The reason why we asked for an interim prayer for stay over all proceedings and coercive action against Rhea Chakraborty was because there was very serious apprehension, because there were press reports that a four-member team from Bihar had landed in Mumbai. There should not be any coercive steps taken by Bihar Police against Rhea. We require a no coercive steps order.
