Sushant Singh Rajput case: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar recommends CBI probe

स्व० सुशांत सिंह राजपूत के पिता श्री के०के० सिंह द्वारा पटना में स्व० सुशांत सिंह राजपूत की मौत से संबंधित दर्ज कराए गए मामले की सी०बी०आई० से जांच कराने हेतु राज्य सरकार ने अनुशंसा भेज दी है।

— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) August 4, 2020

Earlier in the day, Kumar told news agency ANI: “The DGP spoke to Sushant Singh Rajput’s father this morning and he gave consent for CBI inquiry. So now, we are recommending CBI probe in the matter.”

The Bihar Police, have, meanwhile, recorded the statement of Rajput’s friend and creative content manager Siddharth Pithani in connection with the actor’s death, PTI quoted an official as saying.

The Bihar Police also recorded that statement of Rajput’s manager Deepesh Sawant, the official said, adding that statements of 10 people have been recorded so far. They had earlier recorded statements of Rajput’s sister, former girlfriend Ankita Lokhande, director Rumi Jaffrey, his cook, friends and doctor, the official further said.

A team of Bihar Police is in Mumbai to probe Rajput’s death after his father lodged a complaint in Patna against his friend Rhea Chakraborty and other members of her family allegedly abetting his suicide.

The investigation into the actor’s death turned into a Mumbai Police versus Bihar Police row on Monday, with Bihar IPS officer Vinay Tiwari alleging that he was “selectively quarantined” till August 15 after his arrival in Mumbai on Sunday. Tiwari, Superintendent of Police, Patna City (Central), was sent to Mumbai to monitor the investigation by a Bihar Police team, which is probing an “abetment to suicide” case on the basis of a complaint filed by the actor’s father in Patna last week.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had said while he could not comment on the officer being quarantined as it was a BMC issue, as per the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Mumbai Police has the jurisdiction to investigate the case.

“The law is very clear on this. Whenever a cognizable offence is registered, the local police is duty bound to register it. However, if the scene of crime is not under that police, a zero FIR is registered and the case is transferred to the police station under which the incident took place. The Bihar Police team approached us saying they wanted some documents pertaining to the case. We do not know how you can investigate a case outside your jurisdiction… we are taking legal opinion… when we get any complaint from another state we register it and transfer it to that state. We do not investigate it…,” Singh had said.

“Since the scene of crime is outside their jurisdiction, we have asked Bihar Police to give us a clarification as to under what section and provision they want to investigate the case,” Singh had added.

A lawyer representing Rhea said Bihar government recommending the case to CBI has no legal sanctity as its state police doesn’t have jurisdiction over the case.

“There can’t be transfer of a case which had no legal basis for Bihar to get involved. At most, it would be a ‘Zero FIR’ transferable to Mumbai Police. Transfer of a case,on which they had no jurisdiction, to CBI has no legal sanctity,” lawyer Satish Maneshinde told ANI.