The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) began its probe into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput on Friday, two days after the Supreme Court asked the agency to take over the case, as it questioned a former staff of the Bollywood actor and collected documents and reports from Mumbai Police.
The agency’s special team, which is being lead by superintendent of police (SP) Nupur Prasad comprising officers, other personnel and forensic experts, had landed in Mumbai on Thursday evening to take over probe into the high-profile case which had triggered a war of words between Maharashtra and Bihar governments.
News agency PTI reported that CBI officials brought Rajput’s cook for questioning at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Air Force guest house in suburban Santa Cruz, where the visiting probe team members are staying, on Friday morning. A vehicle, in which the cook was seen sitting next to an official, was spotted entering the guest house in a video tweeted by ANI.
Another CBI team, which was led by a superintendent of police-rank officer, reached the Bandra Police station, where an accidental death report (ADR) was registered after the alleged suicide by the actor, reports said. The team collected case diary of the ADR and other important documents related to the investigation of the case, which included autopsy and forensic reports, they said.
The CBI officials also met Abhishek Trimukhe, the deputy commissioner of police who was heading the Mumbai Police probe team. It will also visit Rajput’s flat where he was found dead, he said.
PTI cited sources as saying that the probe team will record statements of people connected with the case. It will also scan financial transactions of the 34-year-old actor, ho was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra, it added.
“Officers from the special investigation team and a forensic expert will visit the crime scene which is Sushant’s residence in Mumbai where he was found dead. The SIT will recapture the crime scene,” ANI quoted a source as saying.
CBI officials said they will not be “arresting any suspect in the death case until any concrete and solid evidence is found against them”.
The Supreme Court had on August 19 directed the central agency to investigate the case while holding that the first information report (FIR) registered in Patna over the death of the Bollywood actor was legitimate. An FIR was registered in Patna on a complaint filed by KK Singh, Rajput’s father, under sections related to abetment to suicide.
The single-judge bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy also said the Bihar government was competent to recommend transferring the case to CBI. The top court had also asked the Mumbai Police to hand over all evidence collected so far in the case to the CBI. Maharashtra refused the option to challenge the order, Justice Roy said.
The CBI has registered an FIR against actor Rhea Chakraborty, Rajput’s former girlfriend, and others in connection with the actor’s death after the Centre accepted the Bihar government’s recommendation to transfer the probe in the matter from Patna.
Rajput was found dead at his apartment in Bandra on June 14.