The Bombay High Court is scheduled to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on February 19, which calls for a more thorough investigation into the deaths of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager, Disha Salian. The PIL, filed by Rashid Khan Pathan, president of the Supreme Court & High Court Litigants Association of India, demands that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrest and interrogate Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray in connection with the two cases.
A report in Bollywood Hungama also mentions that the petitioners also seek a directive for the CBI to submit a detailed report on their findings. The case has generated significant attention, with Aditya Thackeray submitting an intervention application. In his plea, Thackeray argues that the court should hear his defense before issuing any orders. He also claims that the PIL is not maintainable, asserting that state authorities are already investigating the matter. The February 19 hearing will be crucial in determining whether the PIL will proceed, as well as in addressing Thackeray’s objections. The court will likely examine the arguments related to the maintainability of the petition and the necessity of further investigation.
Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment on June 14, 2020. Initially, the Mumbai Police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR), but the case was later handed over to the CBI following a complaint filed by Rajput’s father in Bihar. The complaint alleged that the actor’s girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty, and her family were involved in abetting his suicide. The CBI has been investigating the matter since then, but there have been no conclusive findings.
Alongside the CBI’s probe, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating allegations of money laundering against Rhea and her family, and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is examining drug-related claims. Disha Salian, Rajput’s former manager, tragically passed away on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a Malad building. Like Rajput’s case, an ADR was filed, and the Malwani police continued to investigate her death.
The hearing on February 19 is set to address both the maintainability of the PIL and the demand for further investigation into both deaths. It will also consider Thackeray’s application for intervention, potentially influencing the future course of these high-profile cases.
