Sushant Singh Rajput case: ED files money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case in connection with death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, according to officials. An Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was filed by the agency on Wednesday. The case was filed on the basis of the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Bihar Police. Alleged financial irregularities have been suspected in the case.

A high-level meeting was conducted at the Bihar DGP office in Patna over the investigation carried out by the Bihar Police team in Mumbai.

Rajput's father had filed a case of abetment of suicide against actress Rhea Chakraborty. His father stated that there were unexplained transfers from Rajput's account to Chakraborty's.

The ED will now probe if there was any mishandling of Rajput's finances and if his income was used for laundering money and creating illegal assets. However, Rajput's chartered accountant said that the actor did not have the kind of money his family claimed he had. The CA also told India Today TV that there were no transactions made towards Chakraborty that were over Rs 1 lakh.

The ECIR has been filed after demands for a CBI probe and ED investigation got louder. Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had said earlier in the day, "There is a huge public sentiment about handing over Sushant Singh Rajput case to CBI but looking at the reluctance of State Government, atleast ED can register an ECIR since misappropriation and money laundering angle has come out."

The ED had sought the FIR registered against actress Rhea Chakraborty and others from Bihar Police in order to conduct a money laundering probe. 

The case is being investigated by both Bihar Police and Mumbai Police. Mumbai Police has also recorded statements of Bollywood personalities including Sanjay Leela Bhansali, film critic Rajeev Masand and filmmaker Aditya Chopra.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput case: Bihar Police looks into actor's finances; friend says forced to give false statements