Mumbai police probe an ‘eyewash’, Sushant’s father tells SC

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 8

Terming the Mumbai Police probe into the unnatural death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput an “eyewash”, his father has accused them of attempting to shield Rhea Chakraborty who is now being investigated by CBI as an accused in the case.

In an affidavit filed in the top court in response to Rhea’s plea for transfer of an FIR registered against her in Patna to Mumbai, Sushant’s father KK Singh said her petition has become infructuous after the CBI took over the probe.

If the Mumbai Police didn’t find any evidence against Rhea in 54 days, it only reflected that the state was trying to shield her “for the reason best known to them”, Singh said, apprehending destruction of evidence and attempts to influence witnesses.

Singh’s affidavit came a day after Bihar government alleged before the Supreme Court that Rhea gave drug overdose to actor Sushant Singh Rajput who was found dead in his Bandra home on June 14 under suspicious circumstances. She came in contact with Sushant only to grab money, it added.

Ahead of the August 11 hearing, Maharashtra government is also said to have filed a detailed report in a sealed cover in the top court on the probe conducted by Mumbai Police in the case.

Rea, said to be the deceased actor’s girlfriend, is now being probed as an accused in the case by the CBI after an FIR lodged against her in Patna got transferred to the central agency.

Through her social media account, Rhea had requested the Union Home Minister for a CBI inquiry and now that it has become a reality.

“However, now it seems that the Petitioner (Rhea) has taken a complete U-turn against the investigation being conducted by the CBI,” Singh submitted.

Singh said he had informed the Mumbai police about his apprehension regarding the threat to Sushant’s life but no action was taken resulting in his son’s death.

In its affidavit filed in the court on Saturday, the Maharashtra Government opposed registration of FIR by Bihar Police and its subsequent transfer to the CBI.

It said, "Not a single legally permissible and sustainable ground existed, nor does it exist, either for the registration of the FIR at Patna or for the transfer of such non-maintainable FIR to the CBI."

Bihar Police could have registered a zero FIR and transferred the same to Bandra Police Station in Mumbai, it said.

Accusing the CBI of showing indecent haste in taking over the probe into the Patna FIR, Mumbai police said it spoke of the agency's bonafide in the entire exercise.

The CBI should not have gone ahead and registered a FIR in the case on Bihar government's request, it said.

Mumbai police said the CBI should not have constituted a team for probe into Sushant's death and the agency should have waited for the top court's decision on Rhea's petition for transfer of the  FIR registered at Patna to Mumbai.

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