CBI closes Sushant Singh Rajput case: Recounting media trial and witch hunt

The CBI has closed its probe into Sushant Singh Rajput's death, ruling out foul play. The case saw media trials, conspiracy theories, and a witch hunt against actor Rhea Chakraborty

Four years after actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed closure reports, dismissing any foul play involved in the case. The reports come after years of 'media trials,' with some news outlets promoting conspiracy theories and assigning guilt without concrete evidence.

 

The case also led to several parallel investigations, which resulted in actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was in a relationship with Sushant, going to jail in a drgs case.

 

Here's recounting the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the media trial and CBI findings. 

 

Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide and media trial

 

Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Mumbai apartment on June 14, 2020. Initial reports suggested suicide by hanging and the Mumbai police began an investigation.

 

 

The post-mortem report confirmed that Sushant died of asphyxia due to hanging, with no signs of foul play or external injuries. 

 

Cases against Rhea Chakraborty

 

In July 2020, his father KK Singh filed an FIR in Patna against Rhea Chakraborty and her family members, accusing them of abetment of suicide, wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, theft, criminal breach of trust, and cheating. He alleged that Rhea had siphoned off Rs 15 crore from Sushant's bank account. 

 

Following this, the Enforcement Directorate registered a money laundering case based on KK Singh's complaint, probing alleged financial irregularities involving Rhea Chakraborty. Rhea and her brother, Showik Chakraborty, were questions regarding allegations of money laundering, as the siblings sought Supreme Court's direction seeking the transfer of the investigation from Patna to Mumbai.

 

After the ED, another central agency jumped into the case. In September 2020, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested Rhea Chakraborty on charges of procuring drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput. She was accused of being part of a drug syndicate operating in Bollywood. 

 

Rhea spent 27 days in Mumbai's Byculla Jail before the Bombay High Court granted her bail in October, stating that she was not part of any chain of drug dealers.

 

In turn, Rhea also filed an FIR against Sushant's sisters, Priyanka and Meetu Singh, alleging they had obtained a forged medical prescription for Sushant, leading to his deteriorating mental health.

 

Meanwhile, the CBI re-registered the Patna police FIR, officially taking over the investigation. The Supreme Court also upheld the transfer of the case to the CBI, granting the agency authority to investigate any future cases related to Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

 

AIIMS forensic report on Sushant Singh Rajput's death

 

In October 2020, a forensic team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), led by Dr Sudhir Gupta, concluded that Sushant's death was a case of suicide, ruling out the possibility of murder. The panel's findings indicated no evidence of poisoning or strangulation, and they observed no injuries other than those consistent with hanging.

 

The AIIMS report played a significant role in the CBI's probe, leading to the agency ruling out foul play in the actor's death.

 

Media trials and conspiracy theories

 

Following Sushant's death, several news channels dedicated extensive airtime to the case, often focusing on sensational aspects rather than factual reporting. The sensationalist nature of the coverage not only compromised the integrity of the investigation but also led to the vilification of people associated with Sushant, notably Rhea Chakraborty. She faced intense scrutiny and was subjected to a barrage of allegations, including abetment to suicide, financial misconduct, and even black magic.

 

The media coverage by several news outlets, particularly television channels, also led to several conspiracy theories. Speculations arose suggesting that Sushant faced professional setbacks due to being an outsider in the industry, fueling public outrage against nepotism. 

 

The nature of the media coverage prompted legal interventions. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court, asserting that the media's conduct could derail the investigation and impede the administration of justice. The petition sought to restrain media organisations from conducting what was termed a "media trial."

 

In response to these concerns, the Bombay High Court ruled that the media's trial in Rajput's death case was "contemptuous," emphasising that such actions could hinder the administration of justice.

 

What did CBI say in its closure report?

 

The CBI filed two separate closure reports related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, one in the abetment to suicide case filed by his father, and another by Rhea Chakraborty against his sisters.

 

In the abetment to suicide and siphoning of money case filed by KK Singh, the CBI concluded that there was no material to support the allegations that anyone could have driven the actor to suicide. The CBI reached its conclusion based on expert opinion, crime scene analysis, witness statements and forensic reports.

 

The CBI's second closure report was on Rhea Chakraborty's complaint accusing Sushant's sisters of giving medicines to him on the basis of bogus prescription. In its reported medico-legal opinion to the CBI, the AIIMS had dismissed the claims of "poisoning and strangling" made in the case of Sushant's death.

 

The CBI submitted its findings on KK Singh's complaint in a closure report before a special court in Patna, while the closure report in the second case was submitted before a special court in Mumbai. The courts will now decide whether to accept the report or order further probe by the agency.