CBI files chargesheet against YouTuber over allegedly forged letters in Sridevi death case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken decisive action in the Sridevi death case. The agency has filed a charge sheet against a self-proclaimed investigator who purportedly presented “forged” letters from prominent dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, to support her claims. Officials disclosed this development on Sunday, shedding light on the agency’s ongoing efforts to address the matter.

Last year, the CBI initiated a case against Deepti R Pinniti, hailing from Bhubaneswar, and her lawyer Bharath Suresh Kamath, following a complaint lodged by Mumbai-based lawyer Chandni Shah. The complaint, forwarded to the agency by the Prime Minister’s Office, alleged that Pinniti had disseminated fabricated documents, including letters attributed to the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, as well as materials purportedly sourced from the Supreme Court and the UAE government.

Pinniti, known for her active engagement in social media dialogues surrounding the deaths of Bollywood icons like Sridevi and Sushant Singh Rajput, made startling assertions regarding Sridevi’s demise, including insinuations of government involvement. In one interview, she suggested a “cover-up between the two governments,” drawing attention to her self-proclaimed “investigations.”

Responding to inquiries from PTI, Pinniti expressed incredulity at the CBI’s actions, remarking, “It’s kind of hard to believe that the CBI has filed a charge sheet against me without recording my statement.” She further contested the validity of the evidence, indicating a potential conflict of interest due to the CBI’s affiliations. “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 asserted.

The CBI had previously conducted searches at Pinniti’s residence in Bhubaneswar on December 2, seizing digital devices such as phones and laptops. Subsequent investigations revealed that the documents presented by Pinniti during her YouTube discussions, specifically those concerning the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, were allegedly forged. Consequently, the agency has pressed charges against both Pinniti and Kamath under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 465, 469, and 471.

In her complaint, Mumbai-based lawyer Shah had accused Pinniti of tarnishing the reputation of the government by baselessly implicating it in Sridevi’s death.

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