As the nation still mourns the untimely death of Bollywood actress Sridevi in February, the incident is back in the news again. On Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking an independent probe into her death.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud dismissed the plea filed by Sunil Singh, a filmmaker, who sought an independent investigation into Sridevi's death.
He moved the apex court after the Delhi High Court had on March 9 refused to entertain his PIL to probe her death, saying authorities in India and Dubai had already looked into the incident.
According to reports, in his petition, Sunil Singh mentioned that he was in Dubai on a family vacation from February 20 to February 26. He also claimed that he spoke to hotel staff, officials at the hospital where the actor was taken and others associated with the case. He received information that was contrary to what was initially reported, and had therefore filed a plea. Singh also claimed that Sridevi had Rs 240 crore life insurance cover on her name and was killed so that it could be fraudulently claimed.
Bollywood's lady superstar Sridevi died on February 24 was found dead in her hotel in Dubai, where she had gone to attend Mohit Marwah's wedding. Her husband Boney Kapoor, who had attended the wedding, had flown back from Mumbai to Dubai to ' surprise her'. Boney flew back from Mumbai and went to her room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel at around 5.30 pm, to "surprise" her with the dinner, a source close to the family told the Khaleej Times.
He woke her up and the couple chatted for about 15 minutes before he invited her for dinner. Sridevi then went to the washroom. After 15 minutes had passed and Sridevi did not come out, Boney knocked on the door to check on her. When he got no response, he forced open the door to find the legendary actor lying motionless in the bathtub full of water, the source said. Sridevi's death had led to may speculations and rumours. Her body was released only after the Dubai Prosecution completed investigation and issued a clearance letter.
The 54-year-old, whose sudden death sent shock waves throughout India, was given a state funeral on February 28 with her body wrapped in the tricolour and a gun salute by the Mumbai Police.
Sridevi was posthumously awarded the national award for best actress for her role in Mom.
-with inputs from agencies