Bihar DGP says officers had to use 'jugaad' as Mumbai cops didn't help

Sushant Singh Rajput

The four-member team of Bihar police who came to Mumbai to investigate the alleged suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput 'questioned several people in Bollywood disguised as astrologers', and gave the city cops, who were on their tail, the slip every time. They finally left the city with the statements and 'evidence' on Thursday. Bihar police also claimed that Rhea Chakraborty, accused in the abetment of suicide case, had left her house 'after learning that we were coming to Mumbai, and hid in her Bandra flat'.

Qaisar Yasin, investigating officer, Bihar police

Investigating officer Qaisar Yasin, who was heading the Bihar police team probing the abetment of suicide case against actor Rhea Chakraborty, said they had to devise their own techniques and use 'jugaad' to investigate the case in Mumbai.

The Bihar police claim the officers collected all the evidence and statements they needed for the case before leaving on Thursday.

'We realised they won't help'

"After reaching Mumbai on July 28, we realised that the local police won't help us in the investigation. So, we dressed up as astrologers and entered the world of Bollywood, and spoke to several people in the industry in connection with Rajput's death," Yasin told mid-day over the phone.

The Bihar police team officers after submitting reports, in Patna, on Thursday. PIC/PTI

"Around 36 hours prior to our arrival in the city, we asked our informers to tail Chakraborty and they used to give us regular information about her. When we approached the Bandra police, they refused to give the recorded statements. We then decided to use jugaad that comes in handy in Bihar all the time. We got costumes and became astrologers and met several people and recorded their statements," Yasin said.

'They're tracing our numbers'

The officer added that the Mumbai police were tracing their mobile phone numbers, so with the help of their colleagues in Bihar, they changed the settings and diverted the phone locations elsewhere.

Rhea and Showmik Chakraborty at the ED office on Friday. PIC/Pradeep Dhivar

"We gave them an open challenge to trace, catch and quarantine us, but they failed." "Many Mumbai police officers were also after us, but even they couldn't find us."

Bihar police also revealed that Chakraborty had left her house "after learning that we were coming to Mumbai for the investigation, and hid in her Bandra flat".

"She was hiding under the Bandra police's jurisdiction," Bihar police added.

Gupteshwar Pandey, Bihar DGP

Bihar Director General of Police Gupteshwar Pandey told mid-day over the phone that the officers had to use jugaad because there was a lack of cooperation from Mumbai cops. "Mumbai police didn't help us, but our officers managed to get all the information. We can't disclose what we have collected. If Mumbai police had helped us, our officers wouldn't have to use other ways to investigate." Several calls and messages to Mumbai police for comment went unanswered.

Patna City SP leaves city

Patna City Superintendent of Police Vinay Tiwari, who was released from quarantine by the BMC on Friday, said, "The case has now been transferred to the CBI. My team did their best and managed to collect the information that we needed. We will share all the information with the CBI." He left the city in the evening soon after being released from the quarantine. Rajput was found dead in his Bandra home on June 14. The actor's father, Krishna Kishore Singh, filed a case in Patna on July 25.

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