PIL in HC seeks probe by CBI or SIT in Sushant's death

It has urged the court to issue orders to either constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT), or transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of investigation (CBI), or to any other probe agency outside Mumbai. In his plea filed through advocate Raspal Singh Renu, Thakkar has alleged that the Bandra police, currently probing the case, were "deliberately delaying" the probe, and "wiping off evidence" at the behest of some powerful people.

A public interest litigation has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking probe in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death to be transferred from Mumbai Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation or a special investigation team. The PIL was listed for hearing on Tuesday before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipankar Datta, but the high court adjourned its virtual hearings for the day as many staff members could not reach the court in south Mumbai following heavy rain.

The petition, filed by Nagpur resident Sameet Thakkar, is now likely to come up for hearing on Wednesday. It has urged the court to issue orders to either constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT), or transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of investigation (CBI), or to any other probe agency outside Mumbai.

In his plea filed through advocate Raspal Singh Renu, Thakkar has alleged that the Bandra police, currently probing the case, were "deliberately delaying" the probe, and "wiping off evidence" at the behest of some powerful people. "This case involves national and international ramifications with complex issues involved therein," it said.

"Most significantly, as the people involved are powerful bigwigs of Bollywood having underworld and political nexus, the crucial and material evidences in the present matter are being compromised with each passing day," it said. "The deliberate andundue delay on part of the respondents no.5 (Commissioner of Police, Mumbai) and 6 (Bandra police station officer) are wiping theevidences on daily basis," the PIL said.

It claimed Rajput was a victim of "nepotism" and was driven to end his life after being subjected to much duress by a "nexus ofbigwigs of Bollywood, politicians, and the underworld". "Nepotism at the handsof bigwigs of Bollywood having close political and underworld nexus, have victimised many people in the past, but this time, with the death of a fine actor, the bigwigs have taken it too far," the plea said.

There also exist inconsistencies in the statements made by the actor's domestic help in an interview to a television news channel and the Mumbai Police's revelations on its findings. For instance, the domestic help said Rajput drank juice, went for a jog in the morning before his death, but the police report doesn't mention these, the plea said.

It also claimed that someone logged on to the actor's Twitter and Instagram account after his death. The petition also cited several news reports, and statements made on social media by film actors, directors, and other celebrities, insinuating that Rajput was being targeted unfairly by some in the film industry.

Hence, the court must pass orders for a fair probe into the case, it urged. "Dead men tell no tales, but in criminal jurisprudence, it is the impartial investigation that can, to much extent, tell the tale behind the same if the investigation is conducted by an impartial investigating machinery," the plea said.

Advocate Renu said he was hopeful the court would consider the prayers made in the PIL. "The Mumbai Police have lost public trust. The Bihar Police can't withstand the jurisdictional touchstone, so CBI would be the best to serve justice to Sushant, his family, friends and fans," Renu said.

Besides a fair probe, the PIL also sought police protection for Thakkar, claiming that he has been receiving threats by "Bollywood mafia gang". The plea has also made the Union of India and the state of Maharashtra parties in the case.

Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14. Mumbai Police had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and an investigation is underway in the case.

An FIR has been registered in Patna on the complaint of the late actor's father K K Singh against his son's girlfriend and budding actress Rhea Chakraborty and others. PTI AYA SP GK GK