The Supreme Court has upheld the transfer of an FIR, lodged in Patna against actress Rhea Chakraborty and others for allegedly abetting actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide, to the CBI.
The apex court said the Bihar government is competent to transfer the case to the CBI for investigation.
Justice Hrishikesh Roy said the FIR registered by the Bihar police on the complaint of Rajput's father Krishna Kishore Singh is correct and the reference to the CBI is lawful.
The top court delivered its verdict on a plea by Chakraborty, who had sought transfer of the FIR lodged against her at Patna to Mumbai.
Rajput, 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in Bandra, north west Mumbai, on June 14 and since then, the Mumbai police has been probing the case keeping in mind various angles.
The Centre had earlier informed the top court that it has accepted the Bihar government's recommendation for a CBI probe into the FIR lodged in Patna by Rajput's father who has accused Chakraborty and six others of various offences including abetment of suicide.
While pronouncing the verdict, Justice Roy said if any other case is registered regarding Rajput's death, the same shall only be probed by the CBI.
The jurisdiction of the Mumbai police, which is conducting the probe under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which deals with procedure to be followed in cases of unnatural death and suicide, is limited, Justice Roy ruled.
The judge held that the CBI's ongoing investigation is lawful.
The Bihar government told the judge that political clout has not allowed the Mumbai police to even register an FIR in Rajput's case.
The Maharashtra government had argued that Bihar lacks jurisdiction in the matter.
Chakraborty's counsel had told the judge that the Mumbai police probe has 'proceeded quite substantially' as it has recorded statements of 56 persons in the case.
Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, representing Rajput's father, had countered the submissions advanced by Chakraborty's counsel and said that they have 'no faith' in the Maharashtra police.
Chakraborty's lawyer had argued that the FIR lodged by Rajput's father has absolutely no connection with any offence in Patna and there was considerable delay of around 38 days in its lodging.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had said that the only FIR lodged in the case was in Bihar and that the enforcement directorate has also started its separate probe in the matter.
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