The Supreme Court of India ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in Mumbai.
A Single Judge Bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy directed the Mumbai Police to hand over the case records and evidence to the central agency of India.
The Apex court asked the Maharashtra government to cooperate and assist in the CBI investigation. CBI could register a fresh case, if necessity arises.
Supreme court reasoned that according to Mumbai Police, it was an accidental death. The Bihar Police on the other hand, registered a valid FIR based on the complaint filed by Rajput’s father. This FIR has also been transferred to the CBI.
The judgment was based on a plea filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty to transfer an FIR of abetment to suicide registered against her in connection with the death of Rajput from Patna to Mumbai.
On August 13, before the Bench reserved the case for judgment, Ms. Chakraborty had maintained that she had no objection to a Supreme Court-ordered CBI investigation into the allegations.
The CBI had in turn submitted there was no active investigation by Mumbai Police into the death. All the Mumbai Police did was conduct an “on-spot enquiry”, that is, note down the injuries seen on the body.
The Bihar government, in its two-page submissions, said the Mumbai Police was acting out a “facade” of an investigation without even having registered an FIR.
Rajput’s father said he had gone to the Bihar Police because he was get hopeless in his efforts to know the truth about the death of his son.
Maharashtra defended saying that Rajput’s father had never approached the Mumbai Police in the first place. It said a victim or an accused could not choose the investigating agency or place of investigation.
