FIR on Sushant Singh's death lodged in Patna is legal and valid, Bihar tells Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Bihar government on Tuesday (August 11) told the Supreme Court that the FIR lodged in Patna in relation to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide in Mumbai is legal and valid.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Bihar government told the Supreme Court that no FIR has been lodged in Mumbai's yet on Sushant death. He strongly refuted the allegation that the FIR in Patna was lodged at the behest of Bihar Chief Minister, and referred to the quarantining of a senior police officer from the state in Mumbai. 

He also refuted the allegation of political pressure, bias and influence made by actress Rhea Chakraborty. "Even Rajput's postmortem report was not given to the state police by the Maharashtra police," the Bihar government said.

The court was hearing Rhea's plea seeking transfer of the FIR, filed by Sushant's father KK Singh accusing her of abetment of suicide, from Patna to Mumbai. 

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Rhea told the bench that the FIR lodged by Sushant's father against the actress has absolutely no connection with any offence in Patna. He said there appears to be considerable amount of state interference and influence and therefore an apprehension of bias. He referred to the time-line in the case and said that there was considerable delay of over 38 days in lodging of the FIR at Patna.

Referring to the complaint filed by Rajput's father to the police in Patna, he said that all averments mentioned in the complaint are relatable to Mumbai. He said Mumbai Police has recorded statements of 56 persons in the case and its probe has proceeded quite substantially. Divan also alleged that a huge media trial was going on parallelly in the case.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Maharashtra, told the bench that he is opposing the jurisdiction of Bihar in investigating the case.

Sushant was found hanging from the ceiling of his rent apartment in suburban Bandra Pali Hill in Mumbai on June 14.