New Delhi. The CBI has filed a charge sheet against a self-styled investigator, alleging that he impersonated dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, to support his claims in a video on YouTube regarding the death of actress Sridevi. Presented ‘fake’ letters. Officials gave this information on Sunday.
Last year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a case against Bhubaneswar-based Deepti R Pinniti and her lawyer Bharat Suresh Kamath following a complaint by Mumbai-based lawyer Chandni Shah. This matter was referred to the agency by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Chandni Shah alleged that Pinniti produced several documents, including letters from the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister, documents related to the Supreme Court and records of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government, which appeared to be forged. Pinniti has been an active participant in social media discussions on the deaths of Bollywood actors like Sridevi and Sushant Singh Rajput.
Sridevi died in Dubai, UAE in February 2018. Regarding Sridevi’s death, Pinniti made sensational claims in an interview based on his ‘investigation’ including ‘a cover-up between the two governments’.
Responding to a question from PTI, Pinniti said, “It is difficult to believe that the CBI has filed a charge sheet against me without recording my statement… The evidence will be given to the court when charges are framed.” He said that the letters in question make allegations against the same authorities under which the CBI comes, hence handing over the responsibility of collecting evidence to the agency is a matter of conflict of interest.
After registering an FIR against Pinniti last year, the CBI had conducted searches at his residence in Bhubaneswar on December 2, seizing digital devices including phones and laptops. According to the CBI report submitted to a special court, the investigation revealed that the documents produced by the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister during the discussion on YouTube were ‘forged’.
The agency has filed a charge sheet against Pinniti and Kamath under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 465, 469 and 471. Mumbai lawyer Chandni Shah had alleged in her complaint, “Suspect Deepti Pinniti has tarnished the image of the present government by repeatedly making strange allegations against the government in the case of Sridevi’s death.”
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Tags: CBI, Sridevi
FIRST PUBLISHED: February 5, 2024, 24:39 IST