Can't rush into hearing pleas on Sushant case probe HC

    Mumbai, Aug 7 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Friday
said it cannot rush into hearing pleas seeking transfer of
probe in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case to the CBI as the
Supreme Court is seized of the matter as the Centre questioned
the way the Maharashtra government was handling the case.
    The CBI has already taken over probe into the
'abetment to suicide' case filed with the Bihar police by
Rajput's father. The Mumbai police are separately probing a
case related to the death of Rajput (34), who was found
hanging in his suburban Bandra apartment on June 14.
    A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and
Justice A S Gadkari was hearing two petitions raising concerns
over the manner in which the Mumbai police were investigating
the case and the media reporting on it.
    The pleas - one filed by Nagpur resident Sameet
Thakkar, and another by Priyanka Tiberwal, a lawyer practicing
in the Calcutta High Court sought the Bombay HC's direction
to the CBI to probe the case.
    The bench also issued notices to two organisations
dealing with the media.
    "The Supreme Court is already seized of the matter and
has also sought a status report from the Maharashtra
government on the probe being conducted by the Mumbai police.
Hence, we cannot rush into hearing the pleas, Chief Justice
Datta said.
    Chief Justice Datta added that while hearing petitions
seeking transfer of probes to the CBI, courts must be
cautious and has to use its discretion (to transfer probe)
sparingly.
    The Mumbai police had registered an Accidental Death
Report (ADR) case related to Rajput.
    On July 25, Rajputs father K K Singh lodged a
complaint with the Bihar police accusing his sons girlfriend
Rhea Chakraborty and her family members of abetting Rajputs
suicide.
    The HC was on Friday informed by Additional Solicitor
General Anil Singh, appearing for the central government, that
the CBI has registered a case against Rhea Chakraborty and
five others based on the complaint of Rajputs father.
    The additional solicitor general, however, told the
court that the manner in which the Maharashtra government was
handling the matter was "questionable" and that it would be in
every ones interest that the CBI takes over the case.
    An IPS officer from Bihar who had come to Mumbai to
supervise the probe was put in quarantine by the Maharashtra
government.
    "However, just a month back when some policemen had
come to Maharashtra to arrest a few accused in the slain
gangster Vikas Dubey case they were not asked to quarantine
themselves, Singh told the court.
    The court, however, noted that it does not find it
appropriate to express any opinion at this stage when the
Supreme Court is already seized of the matter.
    We will hear these pleas on August 21. We are
informed that the Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter
(Rhea Chakrobortys plea) on August 18, the court said in its
order.
    After the Bihar police lodged the FIR, Rhea
Chakraborty approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of
the case from Bihar to Mumbai and said that the Bihar police
does not have the jurisdiction to probe the case.
    The bench, while hearing another petition filed by an
advocate seeking raising concerns over the manner in which
media was reporting the Sushant death case, issued notices to
the Press Council of India and the News Broadcasters'
Association.
    "It is an important matter," Chief Justice Datta said
and posted the petition for hearing on August 18.
    The plea, filed by advocate Asim Sarode, said there
are guidelines issued by the Press Council of India on how
media should report cases pertaining to suicide of people due
to mental health issues. PTI SP
RSY RSY

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)