Sushant Singh Rajput case: Supreme Court orders CBI probe

Sushant Singh Rajput and Rhea Chakraborty

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death and asked the Mumbai police to hand over all evidence collected so far to the investigating agency.

"FIR registered at Patna was correct and Bihar was competent to ask the CBI to investigate the case," said the top court.

Justice Hrishikesh Roy pronounced the verdict on a petition filed by actress Rhea Chakraborty seeking transfer of the case filed in connection with Sushant's death from Patna to Mumbai. The transfer petition filed by Rhea was opposed by the Bihar government and Sushant's father K.K. Singh.

The top court noted that the Mumbai Police have registered only an accidental death report in connection with Rajput's death, therefore it have limited investigation powers, whereas the case registered by Bihar Police is a full fledged FIR which has been already referred to CBI.

SC ensured that there was no confusion about CBI being sole authority to investigate the mystery behind Rajput's death and no other state police could interfere with it.

The apex court emphasised that the probe into the case has been ordered by the court and Maharashtra government must comply and assist. The CBI is also free to register a fresh case, if required, added the top court.

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"We are yet to receive a copy of the detailed judgment. Once we receive the copy, we will decide on our further course of action, said Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Terming it as a victory for Sushant's family, their lawyer Vikas Singh said SC ruled on all points in our favour and the court clearly said that the FIR registered in Patna was correct. "SC also said that any other FIR registered in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput's death will also be investigated by the CBI. We hope that we should get justice very soon," Vikas Singh said.

Meanwhile, Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey said he is very happy with the judgment. "The Supreme Court's order has strengthened the trust people have in the court and has assured the nation that justice will be delivered in the case," he said.

The Bihar government in its submission to the apex court had said, "It is apparent that it is on account of political pressure in the State of Maharashtra that neither the FIR has been registered by the Mumbai Police nor did they extend any cooperation to Bihar Police in discharging their obligation to conduct investigation expeditiously."

The Centre had sought the apex court's nod for an investigation into the case by the CBI and ED. The Centre had told the apex court that the CBI has already registered an FIR while acceding to the request made by the Bihar government.

Rhea in her written submissions had told the Supreme Court that the Patna FIR could at best be regarded as a zero FIR and should be transferred to Mumbai police and insisted that Rajput's father has made baseless allegations against her.

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"A plain reading of the subject FIR is clearly indicative of the fact that no such consequence of such alleged act has ensued within the State of Bihar. The maximum that may be done in such instance, is for the FIR to be registered as a 'Zero FIR' and the same may be forwarded to the Police Station having jurisdiction over the matter", Rhea had said in the written submissions.

Rajput's father K.K. Singh had informed the Supreme Court that Rhea has already begun to influence witnesses connected with the case and took a U-turn on a CBI probe.

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Singh's counsel had argued that Rhea too wanted a CBI probe into the matter, and questioned why she was against it now.

"Moreover, as stated in the Petition that the Petitioner (Rhea) through her social media platform had requested the Union Home Minister for a CBI inquiry and now since the Respondent No.1 (Bihar government) has entrusted the aforesaid FIR to the CBI and Union of India has accepted the said request of the Respondent No.1, the Petitioner should not have any grievance in this regard".

Rhea contended that the investigations in Bihar are totally illegal and such illegal proceedings cannot be transferred to CBI in the present manner by way of illegal executive orders.

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The Solicitor General, representing the Centre, had argued it is a fit case for a CBI inquiry. Mehta questioned how Mumbai Police summoned 56 persons and recorded their statements, as they cannot do it under inquest proceedings. He submitted before the court that Mumbai Police never registered an FIR to investigate.

He insisted that the ED has already initiated investigation, and after one central agency has registered a case, another central agency (CBI) should be engaged.

(With inputs from agencies)

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