Lagatar24 Desk
Patna: Former Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey has reignited debate over the controversial death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, stating that the Mumbai Police’s initial conduct led to “suspicion in the minds of people” across the country. His comments follow reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted a closure report nearly five years after the actor’s death.
While Pandey refrained from commenting directly on the CBI’s conclusions, he questioned the early actions of the Mumbai Police. “I don’t want to say anything on the CBI’s closure report because it is a professional agency,” he said. “But had the Mumbai Police handled the case transparently and addressed all questions, they wouldn’t have faced public criticism.”
The former top cop recounted how the Bihar Police team, dispatched to Mumbai after Sushant’s father lodged an FIR in Patna, was allegedly obstructed. “We sent a team for investigation, but they were turned back in just five days. An IPS officer I sent to coordinate was quarantined for 10 days. How can an investigation proceed under such circumstances?” Pandey asked.
He clarified that he never claimed the actor was murdered, only that the death was suspicious and merited a thorough investigation. “People thought something was being hidden. I only wanted a proper inquiry. Had Mumbai Police cooperated, this controversy wouldn’t have escalated,” he added.
Pandey also expressed concern that some evidence may have been overlooked or lost. “There may still be a suspicion that the CBI did not get all the evidence, or that some might have been destroyed,” he said.
Background of the Case
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, was found dead at his Mumbai residence in Bandra on June 14, 2020. The initial postmortem, conducted at Cooper Hospital, listed asphyxia as the cause of death. However, his death triggered a wave of public outrage and demands for justice, prompting a transfer of the case from Mumbai Police to the CBI.
Sources confirmed on Saturday that the CBI has filed a closure report in a Mumbai court, citing insufficient evidence of foul play.
