(Image source from: truescoopnews.com)

The apex court gave a 35-page order which allows the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the case from Wednesday, August 19.

From the media channels getting access to the Supreme Court’s CBI order copy to Rhea Chakraborty making a U-turn in her statements after SC ordering CBI probe, here are the latest developments in the Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case.

• Rhea’s lawyer issued a statement saying that Rhea herself called for a CBI investigation and she would appear and face the investigation by the CBI just as she obliged the Enforcement Directorate and the Mumbai Police.
• Maharashtra government counsel asked the Supreme Court for liberty to challenge the transfer of Sushant’s case to CBI. However, the Supreme Court refused.
• When the media approached Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut for his opinion on the transfer of the case to CBI, he reluctantly responded to the media saying he did not receive the Supreme Court’s order copy yet.
• Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, actress Kriti Sanon, Parineeti Chopra, Sushant’s former partner Ankita Lokhande took to social media to express their gratitude towards the Supreme Court for its order.
• Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh who maintained that Sushant’s death was a suicide has given his first remark to the media and said that he would examine the order copy and decide on the further course of action.

What did the Supreme Court’s order contain?

• The apex court directed the Mumbai Police to cooperate with the CBI during the investigation.
• A single-judge bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy had upheld the Bihar’s order to transfer the case to CBI and said that Bihar Police had the jurisdiction to register the FIR at the complaint of Sushant’s father.
• The top court said that one relevant point it has considered for the induction of CBI is to retain public confidence in the impartial working of the State agencies. It also said that the accused cannot choose the investigation agency.
• CBI will not require any consent from the State of Maharashtra during its course of the investigation.
• The Supreme Court said that Sushant Singh Rajput was a talented actor in the Mumbai film world and died well before his full potential came to light.
• A fair and impartial investigation, in this case, is the need of the hour as the family, friends, and admirers are keenly waiting for the outcome of the investigation, the SC said.
• The expected outcome of the investigation would be a measure of justice for the complainant, who lost his son.
• The dissemination of real facts would certainly result in justice for the innocents who might be the target for the vilification campaign.
• Supreme Court also said, “when the truth meets sunshine, the departed will also sleep well”.

What will happen next in Sushant’s case?

• Soon after SC allowed CBI to probe into the case, it got in touch with its Mumbai unit to finalize the logistics.
• A special team of 3 top CBI officers will reach Mumbai soon and carry out fresh panchnamas.
• The CBI will also carry out a dummy test at the crime scene.
• The Mumbai unit of CBI is trying to arrange for an alternative location for their operations since 25 new COVID-19 cases have been registered in the office area.
• If CBI feels the need to reopen the Disha Salian death case, it would investigate that and neither Mumbai Police nor the Maharashtra government’s permission is needed for this.

By Gayatri Yellayi