Bombay HC to hear plea seeking transfer of Sushant's case to CBI today

A bench of Bombay High Court (HC) will hear a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking transfer of Sushant Singh Rajput's death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today.

The matter will be heard by the bench headed by Bombay HC Chief Justice Dipankar Datta.

The PIL for transferring the case related to the actor's death to the CBI has been filed by one Sameet Thakkar, through his lawyer Raspal Singh Renu.

Earlier, actor Rhea Chakraborty had approached the Supreme Court and filed a transfer petition stating that Bihar Police has no jurisdiction to investigate in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case legally and otherwise, her lawyer Satish Maneshinde said.

 

"Rhea Chakraborty has always been living in Mumbai. She was in Mumbai on 14th June 2020. She was not allowed to attend the funeral of Sushant Singh as her name was struck off from the list of 20," Maneshinde said.

Rhea was summoned by Mumbai Police on June 18 at Bandra Police Station, he said adding that "Her statement was recorded there. Subsequently, she was summoned to appear on July 17 at Santacruz Police Station. She appeared and recorded her supplementary statement."

"Later, when the Bihar Police came to Mumbai to investigate the case on the basis of an FIR registered in Patna, Rhea approached the Supreme Court and filed a Transfer Petition on July 30 for transfer of the case to Mumbai in view of the legal position that a case registered beyond the jurisdiction of the local police station where the alleged incident has taken place can only record a 'Zero FIR' and transfer it for the investigation to Mumbai where the criminal law has already been set in motion. The Bihar Police has no jurisdiction to investigate the case legally and otherwise," he added.

Rhea's lawyer also said that she is cooperating with Mumbai Police and she was always available for the investigation whenever called. Rhea has already recorded her statement with Mumbai Police twice on June 18 and July 17.

Rhea has approached the top court seeking to transfer the investigation in the case registered by the Bihar Police in the matter to Mumbai. Bihar government and the family of Sushant Singh Rajput have also filed caveats on the matter.

In another development in the case, Patna Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinay Tiwari, who is heading a team probing the case related to the actor's death, was home quarantined by the municipal authorities in Mumbai.

An FIR has been registered in Patna, based on a complaint filed by Rajput's father KK Singh, against actor Rhea under several sections including abetment to suicide. A team of Bihar Police is in Mumbai to probe the matter.