Sushant Singh Rajput's death: Cops seek details of contracts with Yash Raj films

The Mumbai Police, which is investigating the alleged suicide case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has sent a letter to Yash Raj Films, seeking details of the contracts it had signed with him, an official said on Friday (June 19).

Another official, however, said that actor Rhea Chakraborty, a close friend of Rajput, who recorded her statement with the police on Thursday (June 18), told the investigators that he had ended his contract with Yash Raj Films and also asked her to stop working with the banner.

Rajput (34), known for films like Kai Po Che!, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, and Chhichhore, was found hanging in his Bandra apartment on Sunday, sending shockwaves in the film industry and elsewhere.

“Police are investigating various angles, including that of professional rivalry, in the case,” the official said.

So far, Bandra police have recorded the statements of over 13 people, including Rajput’s family members and close friends like actor Rhea Chakraborty and casting director Mukesh Chhabra, he said.

“Keeping in view the professional angle, police have started calling some prominent production houses for inquiry. As part of that, police on Thursday sent a letter to Yash Raj Films, seeking details of all the contracts it had signed with the deceased actor,” a senior police officer said.

“We have also asked for the copies of the contracts that Yash Raj Films had signed with the actor,” he added.

In the next few days, police may also call those people, who had played a role in signing of contracts between the actor and the production houses for their projects, the officer said.

Rajput had worked in two Yash Raj Films movies — Shuddh Desi Romance (2013) directed by Maneesh Sharma and in director Dibakar Banerjee’s Detective Byomkesh
Bakshy! (2015).

His third film with the banner was supposed to be Paani, directed by Shekhar Kapur. However, YRF had reportedly backed out of the project.

The police official said that Rhea Chakraborty recorded her statement at Bandra Police station on Thursday. “She was at the police station for almost nine hours. The investigating officers questioned her about various angles, including Rajput’s professional life,” he said.

“In her statement, Chakraborty told the police that Rajput had ended his contract with Yash Raj Films and also asked her to stop working with the production house. It was an old incident, Chakraborty told the police,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)