Nod for CBI probe in Sushant Singh Rajput death shocker for Thackeray govt

Mumbai, August 5

The decision to hand over the Sushant Singh Rajput death case probe to the CBI is a shocker for Maharashtra government, which has maintained that Mumbai police is competent to handle the investigation.

The Supreme Court Wednesday said the truth behind the actor’s death should come out, even as the Centre informed that it has accepted the recommendation of Bihar government for a CBI probe in the matter.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh have been saying that there is no need to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), despite the pressure mounting on them from various quarters.

Seeking a CBI probe, former Maharashtra minister and local BJP leader Ashish Shelar had said innocent people are being questioned while the suspects are being ignored.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a probe by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had also demanded that the CBI should take over the case as the Mumbai police was “obstructing the fair investigation” by the Bihar police on a complaint lodged by the actor’s father.

BJP MP from Muzaffarour, Ajay Nishad, had also written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking a CBI inquiry into the suicide of the Patna-born actor.

NCP minister Nawab Malik said Bihar governments recommendation for a CBI probe for an incident not under its jurisdiction amounts to encroachment of power of another state in the federal system.

Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said with the decision to let CBI probe the case, he expects the state government to let Mumbai police function independently.

The Supreme Court has directed Maharashtra, Bihar and Rajput’s father Krishna Kishore Singh to file their replies within three days on a plea by Rajput’s former girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty who is seeking transfer of an FIR, accusing her of abetting his suicide, from Patna to Mumbai.

Rajput, 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14. PTI