The Centre has accepted Bihar government's recommendation for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The top court is hearing a plea by Sushant's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty who is seeking transfer of an FIR, accusing her of abetting suicide of Rajput, from Patna to Mumbai.
A bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy observed that truth behind the actor's death should come out. Justice Roy also questioned the quarantining of the IPS officer from Patna in Mumbai and said that it did not send a good message. He asked the officials to ensure everything was done in a professional manner.
The top court also asked the state of Maharashtra to put on record the details of the investigation. Further, the court assured that the concern expressed by the late actor's family about the Mumbai Police destroying evidence will be taken care of.
On Tuesday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar recommended CBI investigation in Sushant's death. Nitish said that Mumbai Police was not doing its job "properly". The Maharashtra Police DG even did not respond to the repeated calls made by his Bihar counterpart, the CM said.
Nitish also alleged political interference in the working of Mumbai Police. He said that Uddhav should learn from him. "I am in the fag end of the third term as Chief Minister of Bihar. I never interfered in any criminal case. Neither implicated nor defended any criminal, " he claimed.
Both, the Maharashtra and Bihar governments had filed caveats in the Supreme Court, each pleading that they be heard before the apex court rules on the matter of a CBI investigation in the death of Sushant Singh Rajput.
Meanwhile, Rhea Chakraborty's lawyer Satish Maneshinde said that the petition in the SC will be heard in the next week. "All concerned have to file their replies in the meantime. State of Maharashtra is directed to place all the investigation steps taken in the case before the SC. We are satisfied with the outcome of the hearing," he said.