In a major development in the case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, on Wednesday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that the Government of India has accepted the recommendation of the Bihar government for a CBI inquiry. Mehta, appearing for the Center, said before Judge Hrishikesh Roy that the notification for the Central Bureau of Investigation will be issued soon.
The top court, in its order, gave all the parties three days to present their side. It also mentioned that the Mumbai Police would have to submit the record of the investigation conducted so far. The case is scheduled for hearing next week.
Judge Roy said, “We want to know what the Mumbai Police has done so far.” The Maharashtra government’s lawyer opposed the CBI probe, arguing that it was the Mumbai Police, which is authorized for investigation under the CRPC.
The Maharashtra government’s counsel also said that the Bihar Police’s action is ‘politically motivated’ and stressed that under the CRPC, only the Mumbai Police ‘has the duty, authority and function to register a case’.
Judge Roy said, “A talented artist died in circumstances that are unusual. Now, the circumstances in which the death occurred need to be investigated.” He also said that there is a need to investigate whether a crime is involved in the case. Judge Roy also said, “Everyone has an opinion in the case, we need to proceed according to the law.”
Riya Chakraborty’s lawyer asked the top court to grant him interim protection.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing on behalf of Sushant’s father, opposed the petition. Singh argued that the evidence was being tampered with and now when the Center has informed the court about the CBI probe into the case, his plea becomes meaningless.
Judge Roy said, “It is in everyone’s interest that the truth be revealed.”
He slammed the Maharashtra government for quarantining a Bihar police officer for 14 days, saying, “It doesn’t send a good message. He went there to do his job. You have to do everything professionally. Protect all the evidence.”
The Maharashtra government’s counsel insisted that the evidence in the case had not been destroyed. The case is scheduled for further hearing next week.
