Accepted Bihar govt’s request for CBI probe into Sushant’s death, Centre tells Supreme Court

New Delhi: The central government submitted before the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it has accepted the request of Bihar government recommending a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central government, submitted before a single-judge bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy that the Centre has accepted Bihar government’s request recommending a CBI inquiry into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty seeking directions to transfer the case registered regarding the late actor’s death in Bihar’s Patna to Mumbai.

Senior lawyer Shyam Divan, appearing for Chakraborty, said that Rajput died on June 14 and the Mumbai police had already started its investigation in the case.

Rhea Chakraborty’s petition seeking direction for transfer of investigation from Patna to Mumbai in #SushanthSinghRajput death case: Supreme Court directs all parties to file their respective replies within three days. Further hearing in the matter to be held after a week. https://t.co/u2FC8k3Vid

— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2020

“There are 56 witnesses. Everything has happened at Mumbai,” Divan said, after which Justice Roy observed that the fundamental issue here is about jurisdiction.

“In a matter like this, very unfortunate situations happen. There is criminality or any situation, the matter has to be investigated properly. Everybody has an opinion in the matter,” Justice Roy noted, following which Divan sought protection in the case.

Eventually, it is good for everybody’s interest that the truth should come out, Justice Roy observed.

Advocate Vikas Singh, the lawyer for the family of the late actor, sought the apex court’s direction to pass orders to Maharashtra Police to co-operate with Bihar Police. “The Maharashtra police is not cooperating with the Bihar Police,” Singh said.

Maharashtra government’s counsel R Basant pleaded that no direction is necessary in this regard in the case.

An FIR was filed by the Patna Police against Chakraborty on a complaint filed by KK Singh, father of the late actor, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including abetment of suicide. A team of Bihar Police is in Mumbai to probe the case.

Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14.

According to Mumbai Police, the statements of 56 people have been recorded till now in connection with the case, including Rajput’s family, his domestic help and several industry persons. (ANI)