Published 16:47 IST, August 5th 2020
Centre gives nod to CBI inquiry; kin tells SC 'Mumbai cops may be destroying evidence'
In a massive development in the Sushant death case at the Supreme Court hearing on Aug 5, the SG Tushar Mehta said CBI has agreed to take up the probe
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Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed the Supreme Court that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had accepted the Bihar government's request for a probe by the Central agency into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
What happened in the Supreme Court's Sushant case hearing
A single-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice Hrishikesh Roy heard the transfer petition filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty seeking to transfer FIR registered in Patna against her in Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case to Mumbai.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, confirmed that the CBI has accepted the Bihar government's request.
This came amid Sushant's family via lawyer Vikas Singh accusing the Mumbai Police of destroying evidence in the matter, and appealing against any further delay in the matter. The Supreme Court also questioned the quarantining of the Bihar IPS officer who was called in to lead the probe.
Following this, Justice Roy asked for the Mumbai Police's findings in the probe to be put on record, to take care of the family's suspicions against the Mumbai police.
SG Mehta at this point asked for the Centre to be made party to the proceedings, in response to which Justice Roy asked to file an application to do so. Tushar Mehta also said that the CBI's notification for its investigation is expected to be out by the end of the day on Wednesday.
In its order, the Supreme Court gave the Mumbai Police 3 days to place all its evidence in the Sushant death case probe on record, and declined to offer protection to Rhea Chakraborty following a request from her lawyer. The matter will be taken up for hearing again next week.
Senior Advocate Shyam Divan represented Rhea Chakraborty and senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the Bihar government. A writ petition was filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty at the Supreme Court of India after Sushant's father KK Singh registered an FIR at Patna Police station last week accusing Rhea of abetment to suicide and other charges. Further, the team of Bihar Police officials in Mumbai have alleged that Mumbai Police has not been cooperating with them.
The matter aggravated when case files of Disha Salian, Sushant Signh Rajput's ex-manager who died few days before the actor, were reported as deleted by mistake by the police officials at Malwani police station. Sushant's family lawyer Vikas Singh who was present at the Supreme Court's virtual hearing urged the Apex Court to avoid delay in the case alleging that "evidence is being destroyed on a daily basis" by Mumbai Police and that is likely to result in obstruction of justice for the late actor.
13:04 IST, August 5th 2020