SSR case: SC seeks Bihar, Maha govts response on plea to transfer probe from Patna to Mumbai
Aug 05, 2020
New Delhi [India], Aug 5 : Aug 5 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre, Bihar and Maharashtra governments, Mumbai Police and the father of Sushant Singh Rajput to file their replies on actor Rhea Chakraborty's plea seeking to transfer the case registered by the Bihar Police to Mumbai.
A single-judge bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy directed all the parties to file their respective replies in the matter within three days and slated further hearing on the matter after a week.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central government, submitted that the Centre has accepted Bihar government's request recommending a CBI inquiry into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.
Justice Roy also questioned the Maharashtra Police over the quarantine of a Bihar policeman, who was in Mumbai to probe the case, and said that all eyes are focussed on the case.
Senior lawyer Shyam Divan, appearing for Chakraborty, said that Rajput died on June 14 and the Mumbai police had already started its investigation in the case. "There are 56 witnesses. Everything has happened at Mumbai," Divan said, after which Justice Roy observed that the fundamental issue here is about jurisdiction.
Advocate Vikas Singh, the lawyer for the family of the late actor, sought the apex court's direction to pass orders to Maharashtra Police to co-operate with Bihar Police. "Quarantine of Bihar policeman is only to destroy the evidence. The Maharashtra Police is not cooperating with the Bihar Police," Singh said.
Maharashtra government's counsel R Basant, however, pleaded that no direction is necessary in this regard in the case.
The apex court was hearing a petition filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty seeking directions to transfer the case registered regarding the late actor's death in Bihar's Patna to Mumbai.
An FIR was filed by the Patna Police against Chakraborty on a complaint filed by KK Singh, father of the late actor, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including abetment of suicide. A team of Bihar Police is in Mumbai to probe the case.
Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14. Mumbai Police had registered a case and is investigating the matter.
According to Mumbai Police, the statements of 56 people have been recorded till now in connection with the case, including Rajput's family, his domestic help and several industry persons.
