THE TIMES OF INDIA (August 4, 2020)

Mumbai/Patna: A day after Mumbai civic authorities quarantined Patna SP Vinay Tiwari, its staff launched a search for four Bihar cops, who are also in the city for the probe into the Sushant Singh Rajput case. A source said the cops stayed put at their current location on Monday to avoid surveillance.

Restricting the movements of the IPS officer, who is in town to probe the abetment to suicide case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has evoked strong reactions from Bihar government though BMC said it went by the rule book.

Based on a complaint by Sushant’s father, the team was deputed to Mumbai; Tiwari’s brief was to lead the team. On his arrival at an SRPF guest house in Goregaon – where arrangements were made for his stay – the officer was informed that it would not be possible for him to step out for 14 days.

Regarding the other cops, a BMC official said, they had said on arrival that they were on an assignment and would return as early as possible, but not that they were in town to probe the Sushant case. “There was a breach of protocol. We are looking for them. As per rules, they must be quarantined,’’ he said.

However, Bihar SSP Upendra Kumar Sharma said BMC’s action raises questions.“Why hasn’t BMC home-quarantined the Patna SIT team since July 27?’’ Tiwari said he was allowed to exit Mumbai airport after landing on Sunday at 4 pm following a temperature scan. Speaking of his confinement at the guest house, he said, “I told the BMC officials that an IPS officer on official duty cannot be quarantined in this manner. However, they cited an order of their senior authorities. I immediately brought the matter to the notice of my seniors in Patna.” Tiwari eventually allowed the BMC team to stamp him with the ‘home quarantined’ tag around 11.45pm.

Both the Bihar chief minister and DGP Gupteshwar Pandey, questioned the BMC’s action. “Whatever happened (with the SP) is not right… DGP Pandey has full information about the incident and he will speak to his counterpart in Maharashtra,” said Nitish Kumar. He described it as a case of “forced quarantining”, but said he would not take it up with his Maharashtra counterpart as it was not a “political issue”. “It is the legal responsibility of Patna police to investigate the case,” he said. Nitish avoided commenting on whether there would be a CBI inquiry into the Bollywood actor’s suicide case.

The DGP has now directed the Bihar police to lodge a protest. “The BMC commissioner would be asked to give exemption in order to free the IPS officer from home quarantine as he is on duty,” Pandey said. He said Maharashtra rules on quarantine allow the administration to exempt those involved in essential work. Refusing comment on Patna police’s jurisdiction in the case, he said, “The matter is pending in Supreme Court.”

BMC issued a statement to clear the air. It said Tiwari was “guided for home quarantine” as per guidelines for domestic flyers and has been asked “to apply to the competent authority of MCGM for exemption”.

City police chief Param Bir Singh denied he had a role and said it was a BMC decision.

BJP leader in BMC Vinod Mishra alleged that the state government was using BMC to derail the probe.
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ED records statement of CA, will call Rhea next

Vijay V Singh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 5, 2020)

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recorded the statement of a chartered accountant Sandeep Sridhar on transactions related to late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Shridhar was Rajput’s CA; ED will continue his questioning. A source said the ED asked Shridhar to submit more documents related to Rajput’s bank account. The source said the ED will call Rhea and her brother for questioning next.

An ED team visited a flat in Navi Mumbai which was mentioned as a registered office address of two companies that Rajput owned with Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik.

Sources said there was around Rs 15 crore in Rajput’s account till last year and they are looking at transactions linked to it. Earlier Shridhar told Mumbai police that there were no suspicious transactions from Rajput’s accounts. A source said, “The ED is enquiring about the source of money and its diversions. It is examining account details of all who received money from Rajput’s accounts or companies associated with him.”

The companies ED is investigating are Vividrage Rhealityx and Front India For World Foundation.