Bihar’s recommendation for CBI probe has no legal sanctity, says Rhea Chakraborty’s lawyer

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar recently said he recommends a CBI inquiry in the Sushant Singh Rajput's case after the actor's father made a request for it.

Rhea Chakraborty with Sushant Singh Rajput | @Tweet2Rhea | Twitter

New Delhi: Bihar government’s decision to recommend CBI inquiry into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has “no legal sanctity” as it has no jurisdiction over the matter, a lawyer for Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty said on Tuesday.

The reaction of Mumbai-based lawyer Satish Maneshinde, representing the actress, came after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he has decided to recommend a CBI inquiry in the case after Rajput’s father made the request for it.

“The Petition filed by Rhea Chakraborty in SC that Bihar Police had no jurisdiction to Investigate the case will continue… There cannot be transfer of a case which had no legal basis for Bihar to get involved,” Maneshinde said in a statement.

At the most it would be a “Zero FIR” and transferable to Mumbai Police, he said, adding that the transfer of a case to the CBI has no legal sanctity as the Bihar police had no jurisdiction over it.

Maneshinde said that as Bihar Police has no jurisdiction, this “illegal method” has been adopted.

“Otherwise you are interfering in the Federal Structure of our Nation in a back door manner . It touches the very root of the Federal Structure on the basis of which India became a Republic..,” he said.

Earlier during the day, a close associate of the CM told PTI, that Rajput’s father made a plea for the CBI inquiry citing hurdles created by Mumbai Police for the investigating team of Patna Police, who are in the western metropolis to pursue inquiry into an FIR lodged on his written complaint with the Rajiv Nagar police station here.

In the wake of these fast-paced developments, the apex court is scheduled to hear on August 5 the plea filed by Rhea Chakraborty who has sought transfer of an FIR, lodged against her in connection with Rajput’s death, from Patna to Mumbai.

Rajput, aged 34, 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.