Sushant Rajput death: Pawar dismisses nephew's demand for CBI probe

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday (August 12) said he gives “absolutely no importance to his grand-nephew Parth Pawar’s recent demand for a CBI probe into the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, and called the young leader “immature”.

Pawar also said he has faith in the Mumbai Police, but added that he will not oppose if someone still wants the central agency’s investigation into the case.

“We attach absolutely no importance to what my grand-nephew says. He is immature… I have clearly said that I have 100 per cent trust in the Maharashtra Police and Mumbai Police. But if someone still wants a CBI probe into it, then there is no reason to oppose that too,” the NCP chief told reporters after a meeting with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

Rajput (34) was found dead at his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14.

When asked about the wide-spread demand for a CBI probe in the case, Sharad Pawar said he did not want to respond to the allegations being levelled against the Maharashtra government in connection with the case.

Pawar brushed off the speculation about state minister Aaditya Thackeray’s involvement. “I don’t know with what intention the Thackerays are being dragged in this,” he said.

The Sena has accused the BJP of dragging the Thackerays into the controversy and latching on to social media theories on Aaditya Thackeray.

“What has Aaditya Thackeray got to do with the Sushant Singh Rajput case? It seems the opposition still cannot digest that the Shiv Sena-led government has come to power in the state,” senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut told reporters last week.

The NCP leader further said he had recently been to Satara where a farmer expressed surprise to him on the discussion in the media over Rajput’s death.

“We feel sad if any person commits suicide. But I feel a bit surprised at the way it is being discussed (in the media),” he said.

“The farmer said he felt surprised at the way it (Rajput’s death) is being discussed in the media.

“He (the farmer) said 20 farmers committed suicide in Satara, but it was not even noted by media. So, I know what are the sentiments of the common people, Pawar added.

Parth Pawar, who lost last year’s Lok Sabha election from Maval seat in Maharashtra, is the son of the NCP president’s nephew and state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

On July 27, Parth Pawar met state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh demanding that the case of Rajput’s death be handed over to the CBI, or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be formed with forensic experts to probe the case.

Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed “pressure tactics” were being used in the case of Rajput’s death and the issue was being politicised as part of a conspiracy against Maharashtra. “It is wrong to see the unfortunate suicide of the actor from a political angle,” Raut said in his weekly column Rokhthok in the party mouthpiece Saamana.

A tug of war has been going on between the governments of Bihar and Maharashtra over Rajput’s death case. Maharashtra has been contending that Bihar had no jurisdiction in the matter since the death took place in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, after the nearly hour-long interaction with Pawar at the Y B Chavan Centre in Mumbai, Raut said it was a routine meeting where many issues were discussed.

He also posted a tweet, saying, “Yes, I met Sharad Pawar and discussed developments in the state and the country. There is no need for anybody to worry or have stomachache.”

Raut in his column Rokhthok on Sunday also mentioned his telephonic conversation with Pawar on some TV news anchors referring to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in first person.

“The chief minister is not an individual but an institute. What is the government doing?” Raut wrote in the column, quoting Pawar.

The NCP and the Congress are part of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state.

(With inputs from agencies)