Sushant death case: Turf war between Maharashtra, Bihar intensifies

The ongoing turf war between the Maharashtra and Bihar governments on investigations into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput intensified further after an IPS officer from Patna was forcibly quarantined preventing him from moving around in Mumbai.

The opposition BJP in Maharashtra stepped up attack on the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government for what it stated the way attempts are being made to stall the probe and not cooperating with the JD (U)-BJP alliance government led by Nitish Kumar.

The development rattled the Bihar government and its police set up – that was totally caught unawares.

Patna Central’s superintendent of police Vinay Tiwari, who flew into Mumbai to join the four-member team, was taken to the Maharashtra police guest house at the SRPF campus at Goregaon.

But as soon as he reached there after landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, he was quarantined by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), till August 15.

Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh, when asked about this, said that he did not have knowledge of developments. “The BMC should have knowledge about it…they look after quarantine, we do not,” he said.

A BMC official said on Monday that the P/South ward administration received information stating that the officer arrived in SRPF group 8 Guesthouse, Goregaon East.

“Being a domestic air traveller, he needs to be guided for home quarantine as per the State government guidelines. Accordingly, the P/South ward team approached him at the said guesthouse on Sunday evening,” the official said.

The official said that the BMC team explained to him the whole procedure for domestic air travellers, including home quarantine, which is fixed by the state government notification dated May 25, 2020 under number DMU/2020/CR. 92/DisM-1.

“He has also been guided to apply to the competent authority of BMC for exemption in the home quarantine period as per the State government notification,” the official said.

A Maharashtra police official said that arrangements were made for stay in Goregaon as the Worli police mess is non-operational because of Covid-19 and a Maruti Ertiga vehicle was also organised. "All courtesies befitting to an IPS officer were duly extended to Vinay Tiwari," the official said.

On the other hand Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that instead of solving the mystery behind the death of the actor, such behaviour will only result in huge outcry and disbelief amongst the people about the investigation. "A medical team from Kerala visited Mumbai, UP Police came to investigate Vikas Dubey case, a team from Bihar police is already working in Mumbai since four days but none of them were quarantined so why only an SP rank officer is treated differently?" he wanted to know.

His wife and banker Amruta Fadnavis lashed out at the Maharashtra government. “The manner in which the case is being handled, I feel Mumbai has lost humanity and is no more safe to live - for innocent, self-respecting,” she tweeted.