Sushant Death case: State of Maharashtra refused option to challenge SC order
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the transfer of an FIR, lodged at Patna against actress Rhea Chakraborty and others for allegedly abetting the suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, to the CBI. The apex court said that Bihar government is competent to transfer the case to the CBI for investigation. A bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy said that FIR registered by the Bihar Police on the complaint of Rajput’s father Krishna Kishore Singh is correct and the reference to the CBI is lawful.
The top court delivered its verdict on a plea by Chakraborty who had sought transfer of the FIR lodged against her at Patna to Mumbai.
The bench further stated, "The state of Maharashtra refused the option to challenge the order and that the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Police conducting probe under Section 174 CrPC (enquire on suicide) is limited." "If any other case is registered regarding Sushant’s death, the same shall be probed by CBI only," the court added.
Earlier, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had claimed that Mumbai Police is capable enough to investigate Sushant's death case and had rejected requests for CBI probe.
As the Supreme Court ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Anil Deshmukh met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the further course of action in the matter. Deshmukh said, "The Supreme Court verdict has come, once we get a copy of the order we will comment on it."
Ahead of the SC verdict, Deshmukh had said, "We will decide the way forward after the Supreme Court verdict today"
Meanwhile, the central government gave its nod for a CBI probe on August 5. The ED has also registered a case of money laundering in the case on July 31 on the basis of the Bihar Police FIR on the complaint of his father. The ED has also recorded the statements of Rhea, Showik, Miranda, Indrajit, Shruti Modi, Sushant's sister Meetu Singh and others.
