NEW DELHI, Aug 19 - �According approval� to the ongoing CBI probe into the FIR against actress Rhea Chakraborty in connection with the �unnatural death� of �talented actor� Sushant Singh Rajput, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday that any other case lodged in the matter will be probed by the premier agency itself.
A fair, competent and impartial investigation is the �need of the hour�, the top court said, holding that the CBI probe is �lawful� and the Bihar government was �competent to give consent for entrustment of investigation to the CBI�.
Putting a quietus to the ongoing high-decibel political statements for and against the CBI probe, the top court held that Patna Police had not committed illegality in lodging an FIR against Chakraborty and six others on the complaint of Rajput�s father, who has accused them of abetting the suicide of the 34-year-old actor.
There has been a rising clamour for CBI probe to unravel the mystery surrounding Rajput�s death. Rajput was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14 and since then Mumbai Police has been probing the case keeping in mind various angles.
A bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy noted in his 35-page verdict that as both Bihar and Maharashtra are �making acrimonious allegations of political interference against each other�, the legitimacy of probe has come under a cloud and in such a situation there is a reasonable apprehension of �truth being a casualty and justice becoming a victim�.
The verdict came on a plea filed by Chakraborty who had sought transfer of the FIR lodged against her at Patna to Mumbai.
�Therefore, while according approval for the ongoing CBI investigation, if any other case is registered on the death of the actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the surrounding circumstances of his unnatural death, the CBI is directed to investigate the new case as well. It is ordered accordingly,� the bench said, while invoking the plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution. � PTI
