CBI examined over 1k posts on SSR

Closure reports filed after examining social media posts, evidence, opinion of experts: CBI sources

- Abhishek Sharan

MUMBAI: Officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) trawled through over 1,000 social media posts, forensic and technical evidence, opinions of top medico-legal experts and call data records to rule out any foul play in the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020, sources from the investigation agency told Hindustan Times on Sunday.

"The probe team did a meticulous job in the case. It focussed on gathering evidence to establish facts and went through over 1,000 social media/blog posts which alleged foul play, but did not find any truth in them," said a CBI officer familiar with the probe which spanned nearly four years.

Rajput was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in Bandra on June 14, 2020 and two cases were registered following his death - one in Patna based on a complaint by the actor's father KK Singh, in which six persons including the actor's erstwhile girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty were charged with abetment to suicide; and one in Bandra based on a complaint by Chakraborty, in which Rajput's sisters and others were booked for abetment of suicide.

The Patna case was taken over the CBI on August 6, 2020 following directions from the central government and the same was approved by the Supreme Court on October 19, 2020. Later, the Bandra case was also handed over to the CBI.

As reported by HT on Sunday, the investigating agency has submitted its closure report in both cases, giving a clean chit to his former girlfriend as well as family members and confirming that the actor took his own life.