Sushant suicide-sceptic & first-responder Sandip Ssingh reveals 'not formally summoned'

Sushant Singh Rajput's death case investigation by Mumbai Police has taken an unexpected turn since the late actor's family filed an FIR against his last girlfriend, actor Rhea Chakraborty. In view of the same, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and advocate Ishkaran Singh Bhandari interrogated Sushant's close friend Sandip Ssingh in The Debate on Wednesday, raising a number of questions over the Mumbai Police's probe. 

Pertinently, Sandip Ssingh confirmed that he has not been formally summoned by the Mumbai Police to record his statement as yet, despite being one of Sushant's closest friends and among the first ones to reach Sushant's apartment on the day he allegedly committed suicide.

Sandip also added that he doubts allegations of "suicide" revealing that Sushant had been a happy person- one unlikely to commit suicide. Ishkaran Singh Bhandari, who has been appointed by former Cabinet minister Subramanian Swamy to headline Sushant Singh Rajput's case and is also representing Kangana over summons issued to her, grilled Sandip for his silence despite knowing that the late actor didn't end his life and asked, "Why no FIR?" 

Sandip also made a shocking revelation to Arnab and Ishkaran on the show, stating that he has not given any formal statement to Mumbai Police. He said that the Police has only taken "details" from him and hasn't made him sign any official statement yet.  

Read | Sushant Singh Rajput’s case: Lawyer Ishkaran Bhandari feels voice being 'suppressed'

Among the other things Sandip Ssingh said during the course of the televised programme was that Disha Salian, like Sushant, wasn't someone whom he thought would commit suicide, once again using 'happy-go-lucky' to describe her. As far as Sushant committing suicide is concerned, he buttressed his argument against such a decision by citing how both of them would aspire for and talk about 'two Biharis ruling Bollywood.' Ssingh also said that from the glimpse he got of Sushant's room when he arrived there after hearing of the suicide, the ceiling was low enough that it would make hanging onself cumbersome.

Rhea Chakraborty and her family have been booked under charges of abetting the suicide, embezzlement, cheating, and conspiracy under Sections 340, 342, 380, 406, 420, 306 of the IPC. A four-member team of the Bihar Police had earlier arrived in Mumbai to probe the case after the FIR was filed on Sushant's father KK Singh's complaint. Responding to the lawsuit, Rhea Chakraborty on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the investigation to Mumbai.

Read | Ishkaran Bhandari asks cops to preserve Sushant's house; follows Subramanian Swamy's lead

The actor’s lawyer Satish Maneshinde informed that they have filed a writ petition, urging for the transfer of the investigation from Bihar to Mumbai, as the investigation in Mumbai was still pending. Reacting to this, the deceased actor's family lawyer, Vikas Singh, has alleged that Rhea's action stems from her apprehension of an investigation done by Bihar Police and not the Mumbai Police for what he said was a previously "fixed match".

Read | Ishkaran writes to Mumbai Police to collect 'vital cell-tower data' in Sushant's case

Read | Sandip Ssingh denies suicide angle, says ‘Sushant not one to take such step’