Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case: CBI Closure Report Vindicates Bandra Police’s Investigation, Confirms No Foul Play

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) closure report in the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, vindicates that the Bandra Police's investigation was headed in the right direction at the time. Five years after the actor’s death, the CBI recently submitted closure reports in two related cases at the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Bandra, including the one concerning his death in June 2020. Agency officials confirmed that their investigation found no foul play in his demise, calling it "a simple case of suicide." This report supports the Bandra Police's initial investigation and affirms that their inquiry was on the right track before the case was transferred to the CBI.On June 14, 2020, Sushant Singh Rajput’s body was found at his rented apartment in Bandra West. At that time, the Bandra Police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). However, several politicians, a few celebrities, a few media personalities, and a section of society questioned the Mumbai Police’s investigation, alleging that the actor had been murdered or driven to suicide. Eventually, after conducting its investigation, the CBI found no evidence of foul play and closed the case.The CBI's closure report has reinforced that the Bandra Police’s initial investigation was thorough and correctly directed. The Bandra Police had registered the ADR and investigated the matter for 46 days before the case was handed over to the CBI.During those 46 days, some politicians, celebrities, and sections of the media cast doubts on the credibility of the Mumbai Police, attempting to tarnish its image. However, in the end, it has been proven that their investigation was thorough and impartial.One of the prime investigating officers (Bandra police) of the case, who was among the first to arrive at the scene after the actor’s death, spoke after the closure report was filed, "I was 100% confident in the findings mentioned in the CBI’s report, and my seniors trusted my investigation. I thank the CBI, but I wish the results had come earlier—it has now been almost five years. I investigated only the ADR, not the other related cases. Officers who handle an investigation from the beginning always know everything. My inquiry was based on the post-mortem report. At that time, many different angles emerged, and we examined all of them thoroughly."He further added, "The CBI is also part of the police force, and they conducted a good investigation. When the case was transferred to the CBI, I had no issue because they, too, are part of the same law enforcement system. Whether we work under the central or state government, we belong to the same fraternity. I had a good experience working with the CBI. The Mumbai Police never faced political pressure. However, various illogical theories surfaced in the media and on social media, and the COVID-19 pandemic was also ongoing at the time. Despite all this, nothing impacted our investigation."Bhushan Belnekar was the investigating officer in the actor's ADR case. Along with him, Padmakar Devre, Senior Police Inspector Nikhil Kapse, PSI Ekta Pawar, and Sub-Inspector Vaibhav Jagtap were part of the investigative team. Belnekar, Devre, and Kapse have since retired.Another police officer from the Bandra Police investigation team stated, "This report proves that our investigation was on the right track. No political agenda influenced us. During our inquiry, we considered all the angles raised by the media and social media. We did not overlook a single possibility and examined every aspect thoroughly. From the beginning, the circumstances, medical reports, and forensic analysis indicated that it was a case of suicide."He further mentioned, "The pandemic posed an additional challenge for us. We conducted our investigation based on the available inputs. Many theories emerged, but we found no evidence to support the murder theory or abetment of suicide or murder. All case records have been maintained. At that time, his relatives immediately did not file any complaints."When asked whether the Mumbai Police's morale was affected after the case was transferred to the CBI, he responded, "Our morale was not affected. In fact, we believed that the CBI would conduct a thorough investigation, and now their findings have validated our work."The actor used to stay in his sixth-floor duplex flat at Mont Blanc Apartments near Joggers’ Park in Bandra West, where his body was found on June 14, 2020.