The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recently questioned actor Rhea Chakraborty for almost 18 hours. They are now examining the financial transactions made from Sushant Singh Rajput’s accounts in the last year. According to the sources quoted by Indian Express, ED has not yet found any “substantial direct transfers” from Rajput’s account to Rhea or her family members.
Indian Express reported that ED has only found withdrawals amounting to Rs 55 lakh from his primary account with Kotak Bank. At the beginning of the last financial year, Rajput had Rs 15 crore in his account. He used the money to make tax and travel-related payments, among other expenses. The agency also noted that there is no joint account belonging to Rhea and Sushant.
Mismatch in Rhea’s income and expenses
The sources said that the agency questioned Rhea for the alleged mismatch between her income and expenses. They have asked her to submit records of her income and investments. As per the reports, Rhea and her brother are directors in at least two firms set up by Rajput named Front India For World Foundation (incorporated in January 2020) and Vividrage Rhealityx Private Limited (incorporated in September 2019).
KK Singh, the father of Sushant Singh Rajput, had lodged an FIR in Patna, Bihar on 25th July 2020. On 31st July, ED had registered a case of money laundering against Rhea and her relatives based on the FIR. In his complaint, Singh alleged that Rhea has siphoned off Rs 15 crore from Sushant’s accounts in one year. Singh requested in his complaint that a probe should be initiated in all accounts help by Sushant. He also asked that his credit card statements should be checked and see if there were any transfers made to Rhea or her family or associates.
Mobile and gadgets seized
According to a report published in The Statesman, ED has seized mobile phones and other gadgets belonging to Rhea and her family members. ED said that the answers Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, and her father Indrajit gave during interrogation were not satisfactory. They have seized four mobile phones, two belonging to Rhea, one to Showik and one to her father. They have also seized two iPads and one laptop. The gadgets are sent for forensic investigation.
IANS quoting sources noted that the ED will check if there are deleted messages from conversations between Rhea and Sushant, Rhea and her family members or people associated with Sushant. ED will also examine if there was any discussion about financial transactions between Sushant, Rhea and their family members.
As of now, Rhea, Showik and Indrajit have not shared any details of the properties they own. ED has asked them as well as the banks to provide all the details of any property owned by either of them and other family members.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s death
Rajput allegedly ended his life by suicide on 14th June 2020. His father KK Singh had filed a complaint in Bihar against Rhea and her family for pushing him to the point where he ended his life. CBI took over the case on union government’s order after a formal request from Bihar police. ED also registered a money laundering against Rhea based on the FIR lodged by Bihar police. While there have been many allegations of foul play being involved in the suspicious death, Sushant’s family has alleged that Rhea has been exploiting him financially and has been blackmailing him.
