Centre moves SC to make it party to Rhea's probe transfer plea

MUMBAI: The Centre has moved an impleadment application in the Supreme Court, seeking to be made a party to the plea, filed by Bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty, for transfer of investigation in the case connected with death of Sushant Singh Rajput from Bihar to Mumbai.

The Centre said the impleadment is in the interest of justice and would not cause prejudice to any of the parties in the transfer petition, filed by Rhea, and urged the apex court to make it a party in this case. The Department of Personnel and Training, which issued the notification for the CBI probe, said it is a necessary party in the case.

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On August 5, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that the Centre has, in principle, accepted the recommendation by the Bihar government to order a CBI inquiry into the case. He had submitted before Justice Hrishikesh Roy that the notification for the Central Bureau of Investigation probe will be issued soon, preferably by the end of the day.

In the last hearing on the matter, the top court, in its order, gave three days to all parties to put on record their respective stand. It also noted that the Mumbai Police must submit its records of investigations done so far. "We want to know what Mumbai police have done so far," said Justice Roy.

The counsel for the Maharashtra government opposed the CBI probe and argued that it is the Mumbai Police that is authorised to investigate under the CrPC. Counsel also said that the Bihar Police's actions are "politically motivated" and insisted that under the CrPC, it is only the Mumbai Police that has "duty, power and function to register the case".

Hearing on the matter is now scheduled for next week.

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