Actress Rhea Chakraborty told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the FIR lodged in Bihar by late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father against her in relation to his son's suicide has absolutely no connection with any offence in Patna.
A bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy was told by senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the actress, that there appears to be considerable amount of state interference, influence and therefore an apprehension of bias.
He referred to the timeline in the case and said that there was considerable delay of over 38 days in lodging of the FIR at Patna.
Divan referred to the complaint by Rajput’s father to police in Patna and said that all averments mentioned in the complaint are relatable to Mumbai.
He said that Mumbai Police had recorded statements of 56 persons in the case and the probe has proceeded quite substantially.
Rhea told SC through her lawyer, "I was in love with Sushant, I was traumatised after his death, but I have been victimised now."
Diwan said, “Rhea deserves complete fairness in investigation and trial, especially since there are political pressures and compulsions in the case.”
The apex court went on to ask Rhea, “Do you want CBI to investigate or not?”
Diwan replied, “I want a fair investigation. I have a strong disquiet the manner in which Bihar made that recommendation and #CBI took over. This matter must go to Mumbai first. And if the CBI has to come in, it could come later.”
Justice Roy to Divan: “So you have reservations against the manner in which it came to go to the CBI. You might as well be feeling like a victim the manner in which media might have been reporting. But you also want a fair investigation. Is that right?”
Diwan said, “Yes.”
The matter is still going on.
Interestingly, it was Chakraborty who pleaded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking CBI inquiry.
“Respected @AmitShah sir, I’m Sushant Singh Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, it is now over a month since his sudden demise I have complete faith in the government, however in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures, prompted Sushant to take this step,” Chakraborty wrote on Twitter.
On August 5, the top court had said that the truth behind the “unfortunate” death of the "gifted and talented artist" should come out.
The Centre had apprised it of having accepted the Bihar government’s recommendation for a CBI probe in the matter.
The top court had directed Rajput’s father Krishna Kishore Singh as also Bihar and Maharashtra to respond within three days to Chakraborty''s plea seeking transfer of an FIR, accusing her of abetting the actor''s suicide, from Patna to Mumbai.
The 34-year-old Bollywood actor was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.
