ED grills Sushant Singh Rajput's house staffer in money laundering probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday questioned a staffer of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in a money laundering case stemming from a complaint filed by the actor's father with the Bihar Police in connection with his death, officials said.

They said Samuel Miranda was questioned at the central probe agency's office in Mumbai and his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

He was questioned by the ED on Thursday too.

The ED is understood to be questioning him about the activities at the late actor's house in Bandra area of Mumbai.

Rajput, 34, was found hanging in this apartment on June 14.

The ED has also summoned actor Rhea Chakraborty, 28, to depose before the investigating officer of the case on August 7.

Once she appears, the actor is expected to be questioned about her friendship with Rajput, possible business dealings and the developments that took place over the last few years between them.

Her statement will also be recorded by the agency under the PMLA.

The summons are linked to a money laundering case that was registered by the ED on July 31 on the basis of a Bihar Police FIR in which Rajput's 74-year-old father K K Singh had accused actress Chakraborty and her family of abetting the Bollywood actor's suicide.

The ED has grilled a few people in the case till now including the deceased actor's chartered accountant (CA) Sandeep Shridhar on August 3.

Under the ED's scanner are at least two companies linked to Rajput and some financial deals involving Chakraborty and her brother Showik.

The ED case has been filed against the accused named in the Bihar Police FIR that includes Chakraborty, her family and six others.

Rajput's father, who resides in Patna, had last month lodged the complaint with the Bihar Police against Chakraborty, her family members and six others for abetment to suicide of his son and fraud.

Singh has accused Chakraborty, the purported girlfriend of Rajput, of having befriended his son in May 2019 with the intention of furthering her own career.

The father also wanted a police investigation to ascertain where the Rs 15 crore, which he claimed was deposited in a bank account held by Rajput, had been transferred.

The Mumbai police is also probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several top Bollywood producers and directors in this case.

Chakraborty had released a video statement soon after the ED case was filed.

"I have immense faith in God and the judiciary. I believe that I will get justice. Even though a lot of horrible things are being said about me on electronic media, I refrain from commenting on the advice of my lawyers as the matter is sub-judice. Satyamev Jayate, the truth shall prevail," she had said in the message.

The Supreme Court, while hearing Chakraborty's plea for transferring the Bihar Police FIR to the Mumbai Police, on Wednesday said that truth behind the "unfortunate" death of a "gifted and talented artist" should come out even as the Centre apprised it of having accepted the Bihar government's recommendation for a CBI probe in the matter.

Rajput starred in films like 'Shuddh Desi Romance', 'Raabta', 'Kedarnath', 'Chhichhore' and 'Sonchiriya'. His most prominent role was in cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni's biopic 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story'.