Mahesh Bhatt to be summoned in Sushant Singh Rajput death probe: Maharashtra Home Minister

Maharashtra state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has declared that Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt will be summoned by Mumbai Police on Monday, July 27 in its probe in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case. He has emphasized that veteran director will have to testify before police as part of its investigation into possible reasons for Sushant's alleged suicide. statement from State government comes after Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut made sensational claims in a Republic TV interview recently and held Mahesh Bhatt and few ors accountable in causing distress to Sushant Singh Rajput by intimidating him with ir power in film industry.

Furr, filmmaker Karan Johar's manr has also been summoned, and Deshmukh said that Johar himself may be called in if required, and added that probe will find out if re is groupism that causes ostracisation of people in film industry, as alleged by Kangana. Queen actor also questioned Bhatt's involvement in Sushant's relationship with his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty. 

Kangana said, "Sushant's girlfriend at time Rhea in her statement mentioned Mahesh Bhatt. How is he related? Bhatt's first AD has written how Bhatt used to counsel him. Who was Mahesh Bhatt in Sushant's life? What was Mahesh Bhatt doing between Rhea and him? Everyone wants to kw. Why is Mumbai Police t calling Mahesh Bhatt for questioning?"

Read | Kangana Ranaut speaks to Arnab, asks 'Why was Mahesh Bhatt counselling Sushant Singh?'

Kangana Ranaut, in a tell-all conversation with Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, had called out names of top industry personalities including filmmakers Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt and film critic Rajeev Masand and claimed that y played significant roles in "systematically sabotaging" and sidelining Sushant Singh Rajput. She exposed dirty secrets of film industry and gave personal accounts including se celebrities and added that Mumbai Police investigation is "a complete sham" without testimonies from se "real powerful people". police has interrogated Aditya Chopra and Rajeev Masand until w and is awaiting statements from Bhatt and Johar.

Read | Mahesh Bhatt tweets "being kind is hard" a month after Sushant's death, gets trolled

Sushant Singh Rajput's death probe

Mumbai Police has, since actor's alleged suicide on June 14, summoned about 37 people from film industry including filmmakers Aditya Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rumi Jaffery, film critic Rajeev Masand, Sushant's last co-star Sanjana Sanghi and his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty. Supporting Kangana's claims of 'mafia culture' in Bollywood, former Union Cabinet Minister Dr. Subramanian Swamy even wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput's death. letter allegedly stated how 'big Bollywood names are trying to cover up death'.

Read | Kangana Ranaut speaks to Arnab; talks about Mahesh Bhatt

Read | After Alia, far Mahesh Bhatt, Pooja shares cryptic posts amid Kangana Ranaut attack