BJP MP Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said he will take up the matter of a CBI inquiry into the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput and claimed to have obtained the consent of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in this regard. The Rajya Sabha member, known for his legal activism, made the disclosure on his official Twitter handle, a day after the actor’s father lodged a police complaint against Rajput’s rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide.
"I spoke to Nitish Kumar on phone. I praised the Patna police and the free hand he has given for the FIR and a thorough investigation. Since now there are two probes, I will initiate (sic) for a CBI probe. He said he has no objection but wants justice done for Sushant and culprits caught,” Swamy tweeted.
He also lambasted the Mumbai police for having "not got beyond inquest under Section 174 of CrPC" and alleged that the failure to lodge a criminal case "reveals the possible mindset of Mumbai police". However, the Congress which is a coalition partner in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra, asserted that the visiting Patna police team will get all possible cooperation in the western metropolis.
It said law enforcers from both the places were working in tandem to ensure speedy justice in the case. AICC spokesman and in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil said in a statement that he has received "assurances from the Maharashtra chief minister, besides our state president and cabinet minister Bala Saheb Thorat and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh", among others, that "full cooperation will be extended to the visiting police team and relevant information will be freely exchanged".
Gohil also said the Maharashtra government was "very serious" about the case and the police there would like to make full use of any inputs brought by the Patna police. "I will also urge the JD(U)-BJP government in Bihar to set up a hospital named after the young actor who ended his life at such a young age. It would serve as a memorial,” he added.
“Mumbai police are investigating the case. It will not be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation,” Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said, according to ANI, following a meeting on Wednesday in Mumbai.
Patna-born Rajput (34)'s suicide had triggered a debate on alleged nepotism and favouritism in the Hindi film industry. Meanwhile, reports in a section of the media said the Patna police team got in touch with actress Ankita Lokhande, who dated Rajput for over six years till 2016.
