Sushant Singh Rajput death case: SC orders CBI probe, asks Maharashtra to assist

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

The Apex Court said that the CBI probe will proceed with the Maharashtra police's assistance.

The court, pronouncing its verdict, rejected the plea filed by Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty who had sought the transfer of an FIR lodged against her in Patna for allegedly abetting the suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput to Mumbai.

The SC added that the inquiry conducted under 174 CrPC is not investigation. The Maharashtra government lawyer asked for permission to challenge the verdict. However, the Judge said that it is now a court-ordered investigation.

This was the fourth hearing in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. In the first hearing on August 5, the Centre had told SC that they have accepted the recommendation of the Bihar government to transfer the case to the CBI.

On July 25, KK Singh, Sushant Singh Rajput’s father, had filed a complaint against Rhea Chakraborty and her family at Rajiv Nagar Police Station in Patna. On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was registered by the Patna police.

The Mumbai Police had filed an accidental death report on June 14 and were already investigating the case. After the FIR against her, Rhea moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the case’s jurisdiction to Mumbai.

Rhea’s petition denied the allegations levelled against her by Sushant Singh Rajput’s family. She said that she was in a live-in relationship with the actor and was ‘in a state of trauma from the incident’.

The Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Hrishikesh Roy, delivered the judgement and allowed the CBI probe under section under 406 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The central government had earlier informed the top court that it has accepted the recommendation of Bihar government for CBI probe into the FIR lodged at Patna by Rajput's father, Krishna Kishore Singh, who has accused Chakraborty and six others of various offences including abetment of suicide.

The top court, which had reserved its judgement on the plea on August 11, was told by the Bihar government that ‘political clout’ has not allowed Mumbai Police to even register an FIR in Rajput's case.

Maharashtra government had argued that Bihar completely lacks jurisdiction in the matter.

Chakraborty's counsel had told the bench that probe by Mumbai Police has "proceeded quite substantially" as it has recorded statements of 56 persons in the case.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing Rajput's father had countered submissions advanced by Chakraborty's counsel and said that they have "no faith" in Maharashtra Police.

With inputs from News18, India Today and PTI