Swati Deshpande (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 9, 2020)

Mumbai: In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s father has said the Mumbai police probe into his son’s “death under mysterious circumstances” is “an eyewash in the name of inquiry”. He said Mumbai police have shown no urgency in finding the culprits, as actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was in a live-in relationship with Rajput till June 8, was examined four days after his death on June 14.

The affidavit, in reply to Rhea’s case transfer petition, said though Mumbai police examined “many” witnesses, no FIR was filed.

Rajput, 34, who starred in hits such as Kai Po Che and M S Dhoni - The Untold Story, allegedly committed suicide in his Bandra flat on June 14. On July 25, his father, K K Singh, lodged an FIR in Patna against Rhea and others, accusing them of abetting his suicide, cheating and criminal breach of trust.

In his affidavit, Singh has said Rhea’s petition for transferring the case from Patna to Mumbai has become “infructuous” as his FIR against her in Bihar has been entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“The issue of jurisdiction can be determined once the police officer examines all facts and evidences... in the present case there are several facts that require examination,’’ said Singh, adding, in fact, most relevant witnesses are all over the country. For instance, the staff who worked with Rajput live in different cities, so it is futile to assume Maharashtra will have all witnesses to conduct the trial, he said..

Maharashtra government has “attacked the motive’’ of Singh, saying the FIR was “nothing but a political attempt to thwart their powers and undermine the federal structure of the Constitution”. Singh said Maharashtra government calling it a political issue “highlights’’ its attempt to “scuttle the entire case”.

With the case given to CBI, Rhea should have no grievance as her original complaint that Patna police would investigate the FIR in an “unfair manner’’ would no longer subsist, he said.
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After Rhea, ED questions her brother

Vijay V Singh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 9, 2020)

Mumbai: Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned actor Rhea Chakraborty’s brother Showik on Saturday as part of its probe into a money laundering case linked to actor Sushant Singh’s alleged suicide.

Rhea is named as an accused in the abetment to suicide case registered by Patna police. Showik was a director in two companies along with Sushant. Both companies are under the ED scanner. The ED is investigating alleged siphoning of Rs 15 crore from Rajput’s account before his death.

The two companies under the scanner include Vividrage Rhealityx, formed in September 2019, in which Rajput, Rhea and Showik were directors. Rajput and Showik were directors in the second company, Front India For World Foundation, formed in January 2020, five months before his death.

The two companies are registered at the same address - A-503, Sai Fortune, Ulwe in Navi Mumbai.

Vividrage was engaged in computer, online and related business and the other company was into social activities.

In her statement to ED officials on Friday, Rhea said she had not used Rajput’s money for any of her investments or personal expenses.