Sanjay Raut defends Aaditya Thackeray again, says only media taking up his name in Sushant Singh Rajput death case

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut once again defended Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Yuva Sena chief, and blamed the media for taking up his name in connection with Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case.

The senior Shiv Sena leader also alleged a controversy to link Aaditya Thackeray to the actor’s mystery-shrouded death.

Talking to reporters on Thursday, Raut categorically denied any role played by Aaditya Thackeray in the actor’s death. He said that Aaditya’s name has not come up in the investigation done so far by the Mumbai Police to determine the exact cause of popular Bollywood actor’s death.

Raut alleged that it was the national media that is unnecessarily taking up Aditya’s name in the case.  Though the Shiv Sena leader didn’t take any name, he said the Opposition still cannot digest the fact that the Sena-led government is in power in the state.

“Aaditya Thackeray's name has not come up anywhere but it is only the media which is taking his name again and again,” Raut said.

Raut further said, “one can take anyone's name in the Supreme Court. The Mumbai Police is calmly investigating the whole case and the truth will come to fore soon.”

Aaditya, a state minister in Uddhav Thackeray-led government, had earlier clarified that he was nowhere related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case and that he and his family are being targeted for no reason.

He said that dirty politics is being played following the death of the Bollywood actor and without naming anyone, added that the allegation being levelled is political stomach-ache stemming from frustration.

Amid all this, the Bihar Police on Thursday filed a written submission in the Supreme Court on actress Rhea Chakraborty's plea seeking to transfer an FIR lodged against her in Patna to Mumbai in connection with Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

In its written reply, the Bihar Police told the top court that Vinay Tiwari, Superintendent of Police (SP), who reached Mumbai on August 2 with advance intimation to Mumbai Police, was virtually "detained" in the name of "quarantine". 

Tiwari had reached Mumbai to investigate the FIR registered in Patna by Rajput`s father KK Singh against Rhea Chakraborty under sections including abetment to suicide.

In its reply to the Apex Court, the police also alleged that the 4-member SIT of Bihar Police officers, which reached Mumbai on July 27, was not allowed to discharge its duty for the conduct of the investigation.

"The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Bihar had requested Mumbai authorities for removal of Vinay Tiwari, IPS, from quarantine, however, the same had been unfortunately disregarded by them," read the reply by Bihar Police.

In its reply, the Bihar Government claimed that Bihar Police has the jurisdiction to probe the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

The Bihar Police stated that it is mandatory for the police officer to register the FIR and proceed with the investigation.

"It is only after completion of the investigation, the police officer shall forward the report to the concerned Court of competent jurisdiction," read the reply.

"The Station House Officer (SHO) is obliged to register the FIR and carry out the investigation expeditiously. At the stage of the investigation, it cannot be said that the SHO does not have territorial jurisdiction to investigate the case," the Bihar Government stated in the affidavit, a copy of which was accessed by ANI.

"Any contention that the Investigating Officer (IO) did not have jurisdiction to do so on the face of it deserves to be rejected. Section 156(2) contains an embargo that no proceeding of a police officer shall be challenged on the ground that he has no territorial power to investigate," the Bihar police claimed.

Earlier, the Maharashtra Police told the top court in its affidavit that the Bihar Police did not have jurisdiction to investigate into the FIR or examine witnesses related to Rajput`s case.

Actor Rhea Chakraborty also filed her written submissions before the apex court in the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Rhea Chakraborty, Indrajit Chakraborty, Sandhya Chakraborty, Showik Chakraborty, Samuel Miranda, Shruti Modi, and others in connection with the actor`s death.

Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14. The Mumbai Police had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and an investigation is underway.