Sushant case: From digital campaigns to legal pleas, how people united to demand justice

Two months after the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, the CBI has taken over the investigation following the Supreme Court order on August 19 refusing Rhea Chakraborty's petition to transfer the Bihar Police FIR to the Mumbai police. Interestingly, the court in its order acknowledged the need to restore “faith and confidence of the common man” through fair investigation which was in itself a huge victory for the people who had relentlessly campaigned, demanding justice to Sushant Singh Rajput in the case.

Here are ways in which people have expressed support to the campaign to seek justice for the 34-year-old actor who was found dead in mysterious circumstances on June 14

CHARTER  SUPPORTING JUSTICE: After the Supreme Court’s verdict to transfer the case to CBI, people continued to pledge for the demand for justice and showed solidarity by signing 'The People's Charter' which received close to 70 lakh signatures.  

PETITION FOR CBIForSSR: Ahead of the Supreme court verdict on August 19, in order to demand a strong probe and expose the lapses by the Mumbai police over 2 million signed an online petition #CBIforSSR, demanding a CBI probe into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. People from countries like the United States, United Kingdom and Australia lent their voice to the campaign too. 

READ MORE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN HERE 

SUPPORT FOR SSR THROUGH BILLBOARDS: Demand for justice was not limited to social media as people even spread the message through massive billboards in places like Melbourne, and California. Sushant Singh’s Sister Shweta Singh Kirti on Monday (August 17) shared a video of billboards for Sushant being put up in seven locations across Australia. 

FAMILY STARTED A CAMPAIGN: On 15 August, ‘Global Prayer for SSR’ was trending online as Sushant Singh Rajput’s sister urged people to pray for the late actor by posting a picture with folded hands. In an act of solidarity, the hashtag received over 29,000 posts on Instagram. 

PETITIONS WERE FILED: Following the actor’s death, several demands for CBI probe rose with at least three petitions being filed in courts. One of the petitions by Alka Priya demanded a CBI probe and a PIL was filed in Supreme Court for a court-monitored CBI probe claiming that the Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager Disha Salian’s death were linked. Amit Thakkar filed a PIL in Bombay High Court seeking the constitution for a probable SIT or CBI investigation in Sushant’s death case.

GLOBAL SUPPORT: On 15 August, the actor’s sister, Shweta Singh Kirti shared on Twitter that the California State Assembly has recognised the contributions of actor Sushant Singh Rajput with a certificate on his behalf. Sushant had often expressed a desire to move to Hollywood.

CANDLE4SSR PROTEST: Advocate Ishkaran Singh Bhandari and Dr. Subramanian Swamy were at the forefront of a digital protest #Candle4SSR demanding justice for Sushant on July 22 at 8 pm. Celebrities Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande and Shekhar Suman joined people in the online protest. Mr Bhandari claimed that the campaign received 1.2 million tweets and on Facebook & Instagram received 2 million tweets/posts.