Sushant death: Money laundering case filed

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) over "suspicious transactions" worth Rs 15 crore in connection with the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The case was filed after the probe agency took cognisance of a FIR (first information report) by Bihar Police, which is inquiring into how the money transferred from the actor's bank account was used.

A police team from Bihar's Patna has been camped out in Mumbai for the past three days, visiting several banks and inquiring into transactions and investments of the two companies set up by Rajput with his girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty, and her brother.

Their probe, set off by a complaint from Rajput's father that accuses Ms Chakraborty of illegally transferring money from his son's account and mentally harassing him, focusses on whether the investments were legal.

Bihar Police, which has found itself in a turf war with their Mumbai counterparts over jurisdiction, insisted it would follow the money trail in the case. Meanwhile, Mumbai Police are conducting a detailed investigation of their own - into angles like professional rivalry and unfair treatment that caused the actor to be side-lined in Bollywood. Cops in Mumbai have also looked into his finances.

The tug-of-war between Bihar and Mumbai cops has been called out Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who today accused the latter of obstruction and claimed that the BJP wanted the CBI to take over the case.

"Mumbai police is putting obstruction in the way of a fair investigation by Bihar police in Sushant Singh Rajput death case. BJP feels that CBI should take over this case," Mr Modi tweeted.

Earlier this week Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh ruled out handing the case over to the CBI, saying there was "no question" of that happening. Actor Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, had died by suicide at his Mumbai apartment in June, the police have said.