CBI Claims Self-Styled Investigator Cited 'Forged' Letters from PM Modi in Sridevi Death Case

New Delhi: The CBI submitted a charge sheet against a self-proclaimed investigator, accusing her of presenting 'forged' letters from high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. These letters were purportedly used to substantiate claims made in a YouTube video regarding the death of actor Sridevi. 

Last year, the CBI initiated a case against Deepti R Pinniti and her lawyer Bharath Suresh Kamath based in Bhubaneswar, following a complaint from Mumbai-based lawyer Chandni Shah. 

Shah alleged that Pinniti had submitted several documents, including letters from the prime minister and the defence minister, as well as records from the Supreme Court and the UAE government, which appeared to be forged.

Pinniti, an active participant in social media discussions about the deaths of Bollywood actors like Sridevi and Sushant Singh Rajput, had made sensational claims about a 'cover-up between the two governments' regarding Sridevi's death in Dubai in February 2018.

Responding to a query, Pinniti expressed disbelief, stating, "It's kind of hard to believe that the CBI has filed a charge sheet against me without recording my statement. Moreover, the evidence will be given to the court when the charges are framed. When the letters in question are incriminating against the very authorities under whom the CBI comes, CBI becomes a party of conflict to be the entity to collect evidence," she said.

Following the FIR against her last year, the CBI conducted searches at her residence in Bhubaneswar on December 2, seizing digital devices, including phones and laptops. 

The CBI's investigation revealed that the documents presented during YouTube discussions about the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister were 'forged.' 

The agency has filed a charge sheet against her and Kamath under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 465, 469, and 471.