Sushant Singh death probe: Police question YRF's casting director

Mumbai: Police on Saturday questioned a casting director with Yash Raj Films (YRF) at Bandra police station here in connection with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, an official said.

Police are probing whether professional rivalry, if any, was responsible for the actor’s depression who was found hanging at his apartment in Bandra on June 14.

The casting director, Shanoo Sharma, reached the police station in the afternoon after she was summoned by the police.

“Shanoo Sharma, a casting director with the Yash Raj Films, was questioned at Bandra police station,” said Abhishek Trimukhe, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 9).

“Representatives of some more production houses are likely to be called by the police for questioning in the next few days,” another official said.

“Sharma is one of the popular casting directors in Bollywood who had reportedly spotted talents like Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Vani Kapoor to name a few for Yash Raj Films,” sources said.

She had worked with the deceased Rajput in YRF’s “Shuddh Desi Romance” and “Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!”.

Days after Rajput was found hanging, YRF handed over copies of the contract signed between him and the production house.

“Police have so far recorded statements of 27 persons, including family members of the actor, his close friend, and actor Rhea Chakraborty, casting director Mukesh Chhabra and others,” the DCP said.

He said that police are looking into terms of business of the contract the actor had signed with YRF.

“Inquiry is being conducted on how that contract was handled,” the DCP said, adding that the investigation is being conducted in a professional manner and considering various angles.

“Police will also investigate any new information coming to light in the case,” he said.

In the final postmortem report of the actor received recently, the cause of the death was mentioned as “asphyxia due to hanging,” he said.