ED sends summons to Sushant’s friend Siddharth Pithani & ex-business manager Shruti Modi

On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a summons to late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's friend Siddharth Pithani and Shruti Modi, former business manager of the actor. While Shruti Modi has been asked to appear before the ED on Friday, Siddharth Pithani has been asked to appear before the agency on August 8. Earlier in the day, the ED had rejected actor Rhea Chakraborty's request seeking exemption from appearing before the central agency till SC hearing is going on.  

READ | One of Sushant's 2 SIM cards in Pithani's name; Bihar Police trying to access call records

Siddharth Pithani's Contradictory Remarks

In an interview with Republic Media Network, Siddharth Pithani who claimed to have been staying with Sushant Singh Rajput for over a year made contradicting statements before leaving the interview abruptly when asked about the events on 14 June. At the beginning of the interview, Siddharth Pithani, when asked about Sushant Singh’s mental health, said, “I wish I know what he was going through. I really wanted to know what was that.” But later, when asked about the medication that Sushant was taking, Pithani said, “I used to give him the medication. I used to give two tablets.” Though he agreed to claims made by Sushant Singh Rajput’s fitness trainer, Samee Ahmed in a sting operation that Rhea brought medicines for the late actor, he later said that Rhea did not go to the medical shop.

Pithani, in his interview also claimed that he had a personal conversation with Rhea before she left the house on 8 June. Pithani said, “She had spoken to me. She had told me to take care of him and I am just a phone call away, whenever you need me, just tell me, I will come back”.

Moreover, Pithani claimed that Sushant's family members had told him about a Rs 15 crore transaction made by Rhea and had asked him to mention this in his statement. However, Sushant's family lawyer Vikas Singh negated this narrative on Republic TV and said, "Siddharth was trying to help the family and he was telling them how Rhea was harassing Sushant until a couple of days back.”

READ | Sushant Singh Rajput death case: CBI registers FIR; Rhea Chakraborty, Samuel named

CBI registers case

The CBI on August 6,  registered a case in Sushant Singh Rajput's death after the Central Government accepted the Bihar Government's probe request in the matter. The CBI case names Rhea Chakraborty and five others. Sushant's home staff manager Samuel Miranda has also been named in the FIR. 

READ | Missing Rhea seeks exemption from ED interrogation in Sushant's case till SC hearing

READ | Sushant’s Friend Siddharth Pithani Says ‘met Him Hours Before Death, Was In Same House’