Nearly five years after the tragic demise of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has concluded that the actor was not murdered, marking a significant closure in a case that had captured national attention and sparked intense media scrutiny.
Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his apartment in Bandra, Mumbai, on 14th June 2020. What initially appeared to be a case of suicide soon spiraled into a complex, multi-agency investigation following widespread public outcry and demands for justice.
The Mumbai Police first began investigating the matter. However, in a dramatic turn, Sushant’s father lodged an FIR with the Patna Police, alleging that Sushant’s then-partner, Rhea Chakraborty, was involved in his death. The FIR also claimed that ₹15 crore had gone missing from Sushant’s bank account.
Shortly after, Rhea Chakraborty also filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police. The overlapping investigations led the Supreme Court to intervene in August 2020, transferring both cases to the CBI, effectively handing over the reins of the high-profile case to India’s premier investigative agency.
As the probe deepened, multiple central agencies became involved. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) began investigating financial irregularities, focusing on the missing ₹15 crore and any possible monetary trail to Rhea Chakraborty or her family. However, the ED found no evidence to substantiate these allegations.
Subsequently, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) entered the fray after Sushant’s family accused Rhea of allegedly influencing him to consume drugs. This led to the arrest of both Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty under the NDPS Act.
Despite the flurry of arrests, media debates, and forensic analysis, the CBI has now officially ruled out murder in Sushant Singh Rajput’s case, according to its findings submitted after an exhaustive investigation that began in August 2020.
While the verdict from the CBI brings legal closure, the emotional wound of losing a talented and beloved actor remains raw for fans and the film fraternity alike. The case, which stirred a national conversation around mental health, nepotism, and media ethics, will be remembered as one of the most complex and widely followed episodes in recent memory.
