Our man in Mumbai must be released, Supreme Court is watching: Bihar DGP

Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey on Thursday said a fresh letter has been sent to Mumbai municipal authorities seeking the release of an IPS officer, who had gone to the city to probe actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death and was quarantined, and warned that refusal to pay heed could evoke strong action from the Supreme Court.

Pandey rued that Vinay Tiwari, posted here as the SP (city), was treated like a prisoner and a quarantine mark was stamped on his hand while placing him under house arrest.

He said failure of the BMC officials to act timely could draw the ire of the apex court, where a petition relating to the actors death by suicide was to come up for hearing in a few days.

Earlier in the day, he had warned of legal action if the IPS officer from Bihar was not released from "forcible quartantine".

Speaking two days after the high-profile case was handed over to the CBI, the DGP also expressed the view that "first and foremost" actress Rhea Chakraborty should be arrested and grilled and that he was doubtful that she would appear on her own before the Enforcement Directorate which has slapped her with a money laundering case.

A letter was today sent by the IG, Patna Zone, to the chief of the BMC which needs to understand that the country is governed by the Constitution framed by (BR) Ambedkar and not at the whims of the municipal body, he told a TV news channel.

The DGP, who had earlier hinted that the Bihar police might approach the court if Tiwari was not released by the end of the day, said, "Such a move is not required right now. The IGP had apprised the BMC officials about the adverse remarks made by the Supreme Court against our officer being held captive in Mumbai. He has again written a letter today reiterating it.

It is tantamount to house arrest. Our officer visits the city for official work and, in the thick of the night, an ambush (chhapamari) is laid and a quarantine stamp is put on her hand with the decree that he cannot go out and speak to anybody, Pandey fumed.

He lamented that things came to such a pass despite him having personally requested his Maharashtra counterpart that Tiwari be released.

All these people will face the music (napenge ye sab log), Pandey said, adding indignantly Thousands of people who land at the Mumbai airport daily are not quarantined. Let them give it to us in writing that they do not care for what the Supreme Court has to say. They will face the consequences".

Asked about the inputs provided by four junior rank officials, who returned earlier in the day after spending a week in Mumbai for investigation, the DGP replied, I have not spoken to them, but the SSP and the IGP have. Moreover, during investigation details should not be shared with media.

The Bihar DGP also said he was hopeful that the CBI, which was a professional agency and has now taken over the probe, following a recommendation by the state government, will uncover the truth behind the death of the 34-year-old actor.

Pandey said Chakrabborty should "first and foremost be arrested and thoroughly interrogated. There have been too many inconsistencies in whatever she has been saying. The needle of suspicion naturally points in her direction.

Chakraborty, a budding actress, was said to be in a relationship with Rajput. She was accused, along with her family members, of abetting the actors suicide by the latters father K K Singh who lodged an FIR at a police station in Patna more than a month after his son was found dead at his Bandra residence.

Chakraborty has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bihar governments jurisdiction in the matter and seeking transfer of the investigation following the FIR from Patna to Mumbai.