The death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput has been sucked into a game of politics. Ahead of Bihar assembly elections and at a time when a team from the Bihar police is in Mumbai to probe the case, former allies Shiv Sena and the BJP are pitted against each other on this issue.
Amidst a “Resign Uddhav Thackeray” campaign on Twitter and a raging controversy questioning the role of Mumbai police in this high-profile case, the Sena on Saturday asked the BJP and other critics not to merely level charges but submit evidence, if there are any, to the police.
Sena’s retort comes a day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray defended the Mumbai police in handling the investigation into the death of the actor.
Thackeray took a swipe at former CM Devendra Fadnavis. He said, "The Opposition can even bring the Interpol or followers of ‘Namaste Trump’ into the inquiry. Devendra Fadnavis should understand that it is the same police with whom he has worked in the last five years. I would like to condemn those who are raising questions about the efficiency of the police."
Minister of Transport and Thackeray’s close confidant Anil Parab on Saturday said that those who are making statements with regard to the involvement of a minister’s son in the actor’s death should reveal the name. “Making mere statements will not serve any purpose. At the same time, I have appealed to the police to call those who are making such statements and inquire with them whose minister’s son is involved. It should be told to the police,’’ he said.
Parab was referring to media reports that claimed that a minister’s son might have been seen at a party a night before the actor’s death. There was apparently a heated argument at the party after which Sushant left the place. The minister trashed the talks of a CBI probe saying the Mumbai police are capable of handling the case.
Parab’s outburst also comes in the light of a letter sent by BJP legislator Atul Bhatkhalkar to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in connection with the actor’s death. "There is a discussion in the public domain that one young minister has some links. The Bihar Police has started the probe. But it will be difficult to reach the logical conclusion of the case especially when two state police are simultaneously conducting the inquiry. Hence, CBI inquiry should be ordered in this and CBI should constitute the SIT to probe this issue," he said in the letter.
Sena MP Arvind Sawant too hit out at the BJP, saying the party should produce evidence instead of leveling charges. “It is not proper to malign someone’s image by simply making tweets or commenting without any valid proof.”
Sawant also raised a question mark over the investigation by the Bihar police. He said, “If the Bihar Police is doing investigation, how can they use a high-end car of a person who has links with BJP leaders? BJP is politicising this issue keeping Bihar Elections in mind."
