CBI investigation in Sushant case: The Supreme Court has allowed the CBI to investigate the Sushant Singh Rajput death case today. During the fourth hearing of Rhea Chakraborty’s plea, Justice Hrishikesh Roy pronounced the verdict that CBI will be taking control of the case. Sushant’s sister Shweta Singh Kirti took to social media to express her feelings on the verdict.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday also rejected actor Rhea Chakraborty’s petition to transfer the investigation from Patna to Mumbai in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case. The court said that said Bihar government was competent to give consent to CBI for probing into the Patna FIR. A single-judge bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy pronounced the judgment. The bench held that the contents as disclosed by the FIR registered in Patna indicate that even Mumbai Police has jurisdiction. The apex court had reserved its judgment on Chakraborty’s petition after a hearing on August 11.
SSR sister, Shweta Singh Kirti wrote, “Here we go!! Finally!! CBI for SSR!! #CBITakesOver.”
There we go!! Finally!! CBI for SSR!! #CBITakesOver
— shweta singh kirti (@shwetasinghkirt) August 19, 2020
Thanking God in another tweet, Shweta wrote, “Thank you, God! You have answered our prayers!! But it is just the beginning… the first step towards the truth! Full faith on CBI!! #Victoryoffaith #GlobalPrayersForSSR #Wearefamily #CBITakesOver (sic).”
Thank you God! You have answered our prayers!! But it is just the beginning… the first step towards the truth! Full faith on CBI!! #Victoryoffaith #GlobalPrayersForSSR #Wearefamily #CBITakesOver
— shweta singh kirti (@shwetasinghkirt) August 19, 2020
The Supreme Court has also directed the Mumbai Police to hand over all the evidence it collected to the CBI. The apex court said that the 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. While pronouncing the verdict, the bench said that if any other case is registered regarding Rajput’s death, the same shall be probed by the CBI only.
It said that jurisdiction of Mumbai Police, which is conducting probe under section 174 of the CrPC which deals with the procedure to be followed in cases of unnatural death and suicide, is limited. The apex court held that the ongoing investigation done by the CBI is lawful. Last week, during the SC hearing on August 11, Rhea’s counsel, Rajput’s counsel, Maharashtra government, Bihar government, and the Centre had presented their arguments before the judge. The SC reserved its verdict and asked all the parties to file their written submissions on August 13.
The late Bollywood actor’s father KK Singh had filed a case with the Patna Police in which he accused Rhea of abetting his son’s suicide, keeping him in wrongful confinement, and defrauding him of crores of rupees.
The Bihar Police had booked Rhea and five others under IPC Section 306 (Abetment of suicide), Sec 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), Sec 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement), Sec 380 (Theft in dwelling house), Sec 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust), and Sec 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property).
However, Riya in her petition, said that the Bihar Police have no jurisdiction in the case and that the actor’s death was being used for political gains ahead of elections in the state. Heightened media attention and sensationalizing of the case is another ground on which Chakraborty has sought the transfer of the case to Mumbai.
On August 10, Chakraborty had approached the Supreme Court and filed another plea against what she called an ‘unfair media trial’. In her affidavit, Chakraborty had alleged that the media had ‘blown out of proportions’, the investigation into Rajput’s death.