Actor goes to cops again over ‘aggressive media’ behaviour
Vijay V Singh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; September 1, 2020)

Mumbai: CBI questioned actor Rhea Chakraborty for the fourth consecutive day on Monday along with her brother Showik and others in the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s alleged suicide. The CBI also questioned the late actor’s business manager Shruti Modi for the first time.

In another major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing a money laundering angle in the Rajput case, questioned businessman Kunal Jani. Jani runs Bastian Hospitality in which Ranjit Singh Bindra (an accused in the Iqbal Mirchi money laundering case) and Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra, were partners. The ED also questioned Goa-based hotelier Gaurav Arya. Sources said during their questioning, Jani and Arya denied any “suspicious transaction” with Rhea.

It was reported that CBI would be recording the statement of Rajput’s sister Mitu Singh, but the central agency refused to confirm it. Rhea had earlier in an interview to a TV channel said she had left Rajput’s house on June 8 as Mitu was coming to stay with him. Rhea had said since Mitu stayed with him in the days preceding his death on June 14, she could throw more light on his mental state then.

The advocates of Rhea and Shruti told the media separately that Rajput’s family was aware of his mental condition and drug use.

The Rajput family has alleged Rhea used to control the actor along with her brother, their parents, Shruti and house manager Samuel Miranda. They are all accused in the case. The CBI has also questioned Rajput’s staffers —Neeraj Singh, Deepesh Sawant and Keshav Bachner —as well as his friend Siddharth Pithani. All four were present in the Bandra apartment when the actor was found dead.

Shruti’s advocate Ashok Saraogi has said she was just an employee and she later quit. Sarogi said, “Sushant’s father once called and asked Shruti to connect him with his son. But Sushant instructed Shruti not to entertain his father’s call. In another instance, one of Sushant’s sisters had called asking about his bank account.”

The BMC, meanwhile, has told the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission that it had not given permission for Rhea’s purported “visit” to the morgue where Rajput’s body was kept.
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Actor’s former staff members Samuel Miranda and Shruti Modi were among those questioned at the CBI’s camp office at DRDO Guesthouse
Abhishek Sharan (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 1, 2020)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday again questioned actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, and five others in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

The agency is investigating whether there was any foul play or abetment leading to the actor’s death. The probe is examining whether the late actor was unwell since the first week of June and had sought the advice, personally or via people close to him, of doctors.

It was the fourth consecutive day the agency had grilled Chakraborty and others. Apart from Chakraborty and her brother, Rajput’s former house manager Samuel Miranda and former manager Shruti Modi were questioned at the CBI’s camp office at DRDO Guesthouse, Santacruz (East), over Rajput’s father’s allegations that there was a conspiracy to control the life and finances of the late actor. According to the allegations, as part of attempts to control his life and create a distance between Rajput and his family, the actor was given a phone with a separate SIM card.

According to sources, the agency has learned that as he was not keeping well, Rajput and those close to him had consulted doctors. One of the doctors had allegedly asked him as to why he had stopped taking medicines prescribed to him. The agency is looking into claims that early in June, Rajput was keeping unwell and had curtailed his interactions with his flatmates.

The CBI is looking into whether Rajput went to Chandigarh to meet his sister’s family in January but fell sick on the way and thereafter returned to Mumbai after a few days. The agency is examining whether during the Chandigarh trip, the Rajput family had been apprised about his treatment, the sources said.

Chakraborty was again asked about Rajput’s family’s allegations, including whether she and Rajput had differences over his decision to shift to Coorg in Karnataka to do organic farming, which led to her departure from his flat on June 8, and whether she subsequently blocked his phone number.

This was one of the allegations of Rajput’s father, K K Singh, as per the July 25 FIR registered by Patna police. Chakraborty was also asked if she had told the Rajput family about the fact that he was under treatment for mental-health related issues, the sources said.

Chakraborty and others have denied any wrongdoing, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the ED on Monday questioned a Goa-based hotelier, Gaurav Arya, over a communication with Rhea Chakraborty allegedly linked to narcotic substances. Arya denied all allegations.
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Cooper denies giving Rhea access to mortuary

Yogesh Naik (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 1, 2020)

The management of Cooper Hospital has denied giving Rhea Chakraborty access to the room where Sushant Singh Rajput’s post-mortem was done. The state Human Rights Commission had issued a suo motu notice to the hospital management and Mumbai police after video clips of Chakraborty getting access to the post-mortem room/mortuary emerged.

A senior officer of the commission said: “We were going through clips of Rhea Chakraborty visiting the mortuary of Cooper. We asked the registrar of the legal wing to check the provisions. They should not have been given permission to visit the mortuary. We don’t how and under what circumstances permission was given. I have issued a showcause notice to the dean to explain how and under what rules permission was given to the lady and her family members.” Chakraborty visited the mortuary a day after Rajput’s death, on June 14. The actor was photographed leaving the morgue along with two/three people. Cooper Hospital Dean Dr Pinakin Gujjar refused to comment