Sushant Singh Rajput death: CBI says media reports attributed to it 'speculative' in first official statement on case

The CBI has termed media reports attributed to it on its probe into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput as “speculative and not based on facts”, in the first official statement from the agency on the case on Thursday, 3 September. In the statement issued late evening, the CBI said it is conducting investigation into Rajput’s death in a systematic and professional way. “Certain media reports attributed to CBI investigation are speculative and not based on facts. It is reiterated that as a matter of policy, CBI does not share details of ongoing investigation,” the agency said. “CBI spokesperson or any team member has not shared any details of the investigation with media. The details being reported and attributed to CBI are not credible,” it said. Rajput, 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on 14 June. The CBI had filed an FIR taking over the probe from Bihar Police into the alleged abetment to suicide case filed by the actor’s father KK Singh in Patna against Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her family. Singh, in his complaint to Bihar Police, had alleged that Chakraborty along with her family members had misappropriated Rajput’s wealth, which was denied by Chakraborty in TV interviews. The CBI Director has handed over the probe to the special investigation branch which is camping in Mumbai and has recorded statements of Chakraborty and her family members, met police and visited the crime scene. The CBI questioned late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s psychiatrist Susan Walker for the first time on Thursday in connection with the actor’s death, an official said. The probe agency also questioned actress Rhea Chakraborty's father for the third consecutive day, he said. “Rajput’s psychiatrist Susan Walker reached the DRDO guest house in suburban Kalina, where the probe team is stationed, around 1 pm and left the place around 8 pm. She was questioned for the first time,” the official said. According to the official, Rhea Chakraborty’s father Indrajeet Chakraborty arrived at the guest house around 10.30 am in a car escorted by a police vehicle. “It was his third day of questioning, which lasted for around five hours. He left the place around 3.30 pm,” he added. In the last two days, the 28-year-old actress’s father was questioned for over 18 hours by the CBI. The actress, who was earlier questioned for around 35 hours over four days, and her brother Showik Chakraborty, who was also interrogated by the CBI, were not questioned on Thursday. However, the probe team quizzed Rajput’s flatmate Siddharth Pithani and domestic help Deepesh Sawant during the day, the official said. After Rajput’s demise, Mumbai Police registered a case of accidental death and recorded statements of over 50 people. On Wednesday, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said it has arrested two alleged contraband dealers in connection with the drugs trafficking case linked to the case of Rajput’s death. The role of Rhea Chakraborty’s brother and his purported links with people nabbed by NCB are under the scanner of the agency and he is expected to be summoned for questioning soon, officials said. (With inputs from Press Trust of India) *

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