Sushant Singh Rajput death case handed over to CBI, Centre tells SC

Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput

The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that Bihar government's recommendation for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput has been accepted.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that the Centre has in principle accepted the recommendation by Bihar government to order a CBI inquiry into the case.

Mehta, appearing for the Centre, submitted before Justice Hrishikesh Roy that the notification for the CBI will be issued soon, preferably by the end of the day.

The top court, in its order, gave three days to all parties to put on record their respective stand. It also noted that the Mumbai Police must submits it's records of investigations done so far. "We want to know what Mumbai police have done so far," said Justice Roy.

Hearing on the matter is scheduled for next week.

The counsel for the Maharashtra government opposed the CBI probe and argued that it is the Mumbai Police that is authorised to investigate under the CrPC.

The Maharashtra government counsel also said that the Bihar Police's actions are "politically motivated" and insisted that under the CrPC, it is only the Mumbai Police that has "duty, power and function to register the case".

The apex court also said that quarantining of police officer, who arrived in Mumbai from Bihar to lead the investigation, does not send a good message when there is so much attention on the case.

"Quarantining of the Bihar Police officer has not sent good message despite the fact that Mumbai Police has good professional reputation," the top court said while hearing actor Rhea Chakraborty's petition.

Vikas Singh, lawyer of Sushant Singh Rajput's father, told Supreme Court that quarantine (of Bihar IPS officer Vinay Tiwari in Mumbai) is only to destroy the evidence. He also pleaded for a direction to Mumbai police to cooperate with Bihar police in the case.

Sushant Death: Supreme Court Tells Maharashtra Govt To File Reply In 3 Days On Rhea Chakraborty's Petition

Actor Rhea Chakraborty had filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking the transfer of an FIR - from Patna to Mumbai - accusing her of abetting in fellow actor Sushant Singh Rajput's alleged suicide in June.

The FIR, filed by Bihar police on a complaint by Rajput's father, alleges that Chakraborty illegally transferred Rs 15 crore from Rajput's Mumbai bank account and mentally harassed him.

Also Read: 'Sushant Singh Rajput's kin wanted me to slap Rhea Chakraborty'

Chakraborty, who was reportedly Rajput's girlfriend at the time of his death, has challenged Bihar police's jurisdiction in the matter, given that the alleged crime took place in Maharashtra.

In her plea, Chakraborty said that it was becoming "increasingly evident that the FIR was successfully filed in Patna only due to intervention of the Chief Minister of Bihar and other local politicians". The plea also said the actress has a "strong prima facie case in her favour as it is submitted the cause of action has not even remotely occurred within Patna".

The governments of both Bihar and Maharashtra have been made parties in the plea, as has Rajput's father, Krishna Kishore Singh. The state governments have already filed a caveat seeking to be heard by the top court before any order is passed. A Bihar police team has been camped in Mumbai since Wednesday last week.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had both earlier ruled out a CBI investigation.

Mumbai police, which has said it will investigate all avenues, has also said that Mr Rajput suffered from bipolar disorder. Meanwhile, Bihar Police are insistent that they will follow the money trail, as well as the alleged suicide of the actor's former manager, Disha Salian, who died six days before him.

Last week, the Enforcement Directorate had registered a money laundering case over the FIR filed by Bihar police.

Sushant was found dead at his residence in Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.

(With inputs from agencies)

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