Actress Priyanka Chopra and her team are working closely to bring her assistant Jiban Patra's body back to India following his death in a hotel room in the US after a suspected heart attack.
Patra, who was part of Chopra's entourage in LA where she is busy recording her first international music album, was supposed to join the actress for TOIFA awards in Vancouver but could not get a visa to Canada and had to stay back.
Patra, 41, was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel on April 7. The Los Angeles Police Department, which is investigating the case, has pegged the immediate cause of death as heart attack, according to media reports.
A statement from Chopra's official spokesperson has clarified that paperwork led to the delay in bringing Patra's remains to India.
"Owing to the situation that this occurred in a foreign country, where no family member was present, there was multiple levels of paperwork and processes that had to be followed to ensure that the matter was handled effectively and in a timely manner. Owing to some delays in paperwork from the family's end, the repatriation of the body was delayed," the statement said.
"Ms Chopra also delayed her return to India to ensure that the everything was in place for Mr Patra's remains to be repatriated to India. We have been in constant touch with the family to keep them updated on the matter," it read.
The statement adds that "All details and financial requirements related to the repatriation was and is being handled directly by Ms Chopra and her team in LA."
The 30-year-old actress will be taking care of the financial needs of Patra's family.
Patra is survived by his wife and two children.
