New Delhi: In a major blow to the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government and those who had opposed an impartial CBI probe into the mysterious death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the premier central agency to carry out the investigation.
Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey and the counsel for Sushant Singh Rajput’s family, Vikas Singh, have welcomed the verdict. The Sena government and leaders in the state including the likes of Sanjay Raut (Sena spokesman) and Majeed Memon (NCP) had opposed the intervention of Bihar police and others insisting that Mumbai police should be given time to investigate the case. However, it is an altogether different chapter that for over 66-day, not even a FIR was filed in Mumbai police.
The Supreme Court order had thrown Mumbai police and the Uddhav Thackeray government into a virtual panic mode. There is already debate in TV and social media that Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh could be eased out from the high profile post.
Initially, Mumbai police had attributed the death of Sushant to suicide but later a series of media investigation and stings suggest there was foul play. Sushant Singh Rajput’s death was also linked to the ‘suicide’ of his former manager Disha Salian. The 34-year-old budding actor Sushant was found dead in his house on June 14 at Bandra West, Mumbai. There has been a lot discussed and debated in the case and the Mumbai police role has also come under questioning. Worst of all controversies was when the Mumbai civic body put Bihar IPS officer Vinay Tiwari under ‘quarantine’ when he had landed in Mumbai to pursue the probe.
“It is a very important day for Sushant Singh Rajput’s family and his fans. The Supreme Court has accepted all our points,” said Vikas Singh, counsel for the aging father of Sushant. The apex court order also held that what Maharashtra Police was doing was in a “limited scope”. Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh sounded defensive and said: “Once we get the order copy, we will examine it”. “We have spoken to our advocates in the Supreme Court ….and we will later decide further course of action,” he said.
In most quarters this high profile case was also being linked to the fast approaching Bihar polls.
The Bihar government and state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had only intervened into the case when the family of Sushant Singh Rajput found that the probe in Mumbai was not heading towards the desired direction and goal. A new FIR was filed in a Patna police station and subsequently formal plea was made by the state government to the union Home Ministry seeking CBI probe.
Bihar politician and LJP leader Chirag Paswan also welcomed the verdict and said: “Not only the truth will surface now but those names are also expected to come out who were possibly behind disrupting the genuine investigation in the case. I hope the Court’s order has brought relief to Sushant Singh Rajput’s family,” said Chirag, son of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy said, “I am sure senior police officials will now spill the beans.
“Sushant Singh Rajput’s murder is Waterloo and Watergate for Bollywood, Mumbai Police and Maharashtra government. Fasten your seat belts as we are. about to take off and bombard & won’t give up till either guilty are brought to justice or justice is brought to the guilty,” Dr Swamy had tweeted on August 16. Shiv Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut defended the state government’s role.
“Maharashtra is a state which always upholds the rule of law and justice. This has been Maharashtra’s parampara (tradition). Only Mumbai Police Commissioner and Advocate General can comment on the legal matters. I should not be making a political point now,” Raut said.
The central agency Enforcement Directorate has also started working in the case.
The controversial friend of Late Sushant, Rhea Chakraborty and her aides and brother have been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate. ED is examining the charge of money laundering as a huge sum of money has been allegedly siphoned off by her and her family.
