The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) over "suspicious transactions" worth Rs 15 crore in connection with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, according to reports.
The case was taken after ED took cognisance of the FIR lodged by the Bihar Police, based on a complaint registered by the late actor’s father K.K. Singh on July 25. In his complaint, Sushant’s father had alleged that Rs 15 crore was transferred from Sushant's bank account to a few other bank accounts, which were not linked with the late actor in any way. Singh accused Rhea of having befriended his son in May 2019 with the intention of furthering her own career.
The ED will probe allegations of alleged mishandling of Sushant's money and his bank accounts. The agency will probe if anyone used the actor's income for money laundering and creating illegal assets, the officials said.
The ED had requested a copy of the FIR registered against actress Rhea Chakraborty and five others in Bihar. The Bihar police case was registered under various IPC sections including 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 306 (abetment of suicide).
On Friday, former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the ED should register an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in connection with the money laundering angle.
"There is a huge sentiment among the people in the Sushant Singh Rajput case. They feel something is being hidden, new revelations are being made. Hence, people are demanding a CBI probe into it," Fadnavis said.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh recently said Mumbai Police are capable of handling the matter and that there was no need for a CBI probe into the case.
Mumbai Police have recorded statements of Bollywood personalities including Sanjay Leela Bhansali, film critic Rajeev Masand, actress Sanjana Sanghi, casting director Shanoo Sharma, filmmaker Mukesh Chhabra, and Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films. Rhea has also recorded her statement.
-with PTI inputs
