Sushant Singh Rajput's death case: SC dismisses PIL seeking status report from CBI

The Supreme Court Wednesday junked a PIL seeking direction to the CBI to submit a status report in Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case. A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian dismissed the plea filed by advocate Puneet Kaur Dhanda.

"We are not going to entertain this plea...Go to the High Court, where an investigation is going on," the bench said. The petitioner had contended that the apex court passed an order for the CBI inquiry on August 19, 2020 and despite lapse of almost five months the probe agency is yet to conclude its investigation.

"The CBI is not acting responsibly in the present case and there is a delay in the conclusion of the investigation of the case," it said. "Even in serious offences like murder, the law stipulates filing of charge sheet in 90 days but in the present case the premium investigating agency has failed miserably in their role and the unnecessary delay in the present case is bringing bad name to the administration of justice not only in our country but across the globe", the plea said. It sought a direction to the CBI to complete its probe within two months and submit a final report in the concerned court.

It said, "Rajput was found dead in mysterious circumstances and the probe was initially conducted by Mumbai Police. On dissatisfaction being shown by the family of the late actor this Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct an enquiry in the mysterious death of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput", the plea said. The PIL said that a fair, competent, impartial, and speedy investigation is the need of the hour. 

Sushant Singh Rajput death 

The case of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his residence in Mumbai on June 14, had one of the controversial ones in recent years. Not just numerous loopholes were pointed out in the initial investigation by Mumbai Police, many celebrities also alleged foul play and sought a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into his death. SSR’s family then approached the Patna Police and registered a First Information Report against Rhea Chakraborty, alleging abetment to suicide, giving an overdose of medicines, embezzlement and more. 

The CBI was ordered by Supreme Court to take over the case on August 19, after the Bihar government made a recommendation for it, after stating that their attempts to probe the case in Mumbai were thwarted. The CBI recently informed Member of Parliament Subramanian Swamy that the investigation was underway and that no angle was ruled out.

The CBI in October 2020 clarified that Sushant Singh Rajput's suspicious death is still being investigated. This is the third time that the premier investigative agency has come out with an explanation.

'CBI continues to investigate the death of Sh. Sushant Singh Rajput. There are certain speculative reports in media that the CBI has reached a conclusion. It may be reiterated that these reports are speculative and erroneous', the statement read.

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(With PTI inputs)