SC to hear Rhea's plea seeking transfer of investigation to Mumbai

The Supreme Court will hear actor Rhea Chakraborty's petition seeking direction for the transfer of investigation from Patna to Mumbai in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said that the state government was recommending a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry in the case. He said that the late actor's father spoke to Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) and gave his consent for the same.

Earlier, Chakraborty's lawyer had said that the Bihar government cannot transfer the case related to the death of the actor to the CBI as it does not have jurisdiction in the matter.

"There cannot be a transfer of the case as there is no legal basis for Bihar to get involved. At most, Bihar Police can register a Zero FIR and transfer it to the Mumbai Police. The transfer of a case on which they had no jurisdiction to the CBI has no legal sanctity," advocate Satish Maneshinde, lawyer of Rhea, told media persons.

He had said that the petition filed by Chakraborty in the Supreme Court claiming that the Bihar Police had no jurisdiction to investigate the case will continue.

"Having realised that Bihar has no jurisdiction, this illegal method has been adopted. Otherwise, you are interfering in the federal structure of our nation in a backdoor manner. It touches the very root of the federal structure," Maneshinde had said.

An FIR was filed by the Patna Police against Chakraborty on a complaint filed by K K Singh, under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including abetment of suicide. A team of Bihar Police is in Mumbai to probe the case.

Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14.

According to Mumbai Police, the statements of 56 more than 50 persons have been recorded till now in connection with the case, including the family of the actor, his domestic help and several industry persons.