Rhea Chakraborty, now also booked by ED, releases video statement
Booked by the Bihar police as well as the Enforcement Directorate in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, actor Rhea Chakraborty issued a video statement on Friday.
“I have immense faith in court and the judiciary. I believe that I will get justice. Even though a lot of horrible things are being said about me, in the electronic media, I refrain from commenting on the advice of my lawyers as the matter is sub-judice. Satyameva Jayate. The truth shall prevail,” a teary-eyed Rhea was heard saying in the video.
@Tweet2Rhea issues video statement on Sushant Singh Rajput
— Saahil Murli Menghani (@saahilmenghani) July 31, 2020
Teart eyed Rhea says, 'horrible things being said about me by TV News channels'
First some working in these news channels forced Sushant to die and they are now doing the same to Rhea. Disgusting language! pic.twitter.com/Vc3UWZMjfK
Rhea Chakraborty earlier this week had moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the FIR lodged against her in Patna to Mumbai where the probe in the death case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput is going on.
Rajput's father Krishna Kumar Singh (74), who resides in Patna, had on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Bihar Police against Chakraborty, her family members and six others for abetment to suicide of his son and fraud.
Singh has accused Chakraborty, a budding TV and film actress and purported girlfriend of Rajput, of having befriended his son in May, 2019 with the intention of furthering her own career. Sushant was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14. The actor's untimely demise was followed by a high-profile investigation by Mumbai police during which many big names from Bollywood, including filmmakers Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Aditya Chopra, recorded their statements.
Sushant’s father’s police complaint came over a month after the actor's death.
In his complaint, Rajput's father sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.
He also alleged that the actress was aided by her family members, including parents, since they all were looking to purloin the assets of his son worth crores of rupees and started interfering in all aspects of his life.
The father also wanted a police investigation to ascertain where the Rs 15 crore deposited in a bank account held by Rajput was transferred.
He also alleged that on June 6, less than a week before Rajput was found hanging from a ceiling of his house, Chakraborty came to his place and decamped with many of his belongings, including cash, his laptop, ATM card and other important documents.
The Bihar Police had pressed various sections of Indian Penal Code in its FIR, including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).
After the Bihar police’s FIR, the Enforcement Directorate also filed a case against Rhea.
ED files case against Rhea
The ED filed a money laundering case on Friday on the basis of a Bihar Police FIR in which Sushant's father has accused Rhea and her family of abetting the actor's suicide. The central probe agency had recently called for the Bihar police FIR and after studying it, the ED decided to apply charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said.
They said an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) has been filed against the accused named in the Bihar Police FIR that includes Chakraborty, her family and six others. Chakraborty and some others are expected to be called for questioning in the case soon, official sources said.
The ED is understood to have taken up the case after it analysed the contents of the FIR and gathered some independent information about Rajput's income, bank accounts and companies.
More such details and another FIR filed by the Mumbai Police to probe Rajput's death will be part of the ED's probe, according to the officials. The ED will probe these allegations of mishandling and purported diversion of Rajput's money and operation of his bank accounts. The agency will probe if anyone used Rajput's income and his companies for money laundering and creating illegal assets, the officials said. The ED has powers to attach properties of the accused under the PMLA.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional suppport to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana
State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 amd and 7 pm)
Aasara offers support to inidviduals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.
With PTI inputs