MUMBAI: The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case allowing the CBI to probe the matter; with several leaders targeting the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government, while eminent criminal lawyer Ujjwal Nikam even terming it as "a historical ruling".
Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said "justice could now be expected to be done to the late actor and his fans".
"A decision that boosts faith in the judiciary system. Maharashtra government now needs to introspect on the way they handled this case. I am confident that the CBI will start its probe soon," said Fadnavis.
Nikam said that the verdict will have several far-reaching ramifications and will set a precedent in such cases in the future. "This is the first time in history that a crime is committed in one place, the FIR is lodged in another place and investigation will be done by a third agency, CBI," Nikam pointed out.
He said there were suspicions raised all over the country over Sushant's death whether it was a suicide or a murder, and on the capabilities of the Mumbai Police which did not act in a timely to dispel such doubts.
He also said there were delays in the probe even after lodging the Accidental Death Report, not extending help to the Bihar Police team for the investigation, and related issues which raised avoidable questions on the Mumbai Police's modus operandi.
In a stringent attack, state BJP Vice-President Kirit Somaiya said: "Ab to Thackeray Sarkar ki Dadagiri khatam hogi" (Now, the strong-arm tactics of the Thackeray government will end).
He also demanded that state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh should resign after the apex court ruling.
BJP leader Nitesh Rane targeted Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray in a tweet: "Ab Baby Penguin toh giyo!!! (Now, Baby Penguin is doomed!!!). Its Showtime!"
The son of former Shiv Sena Chief Minister Narayan Rane -- now in the BJP -- Nitesh Rane had lampooned Aditya Thackeray as a "Baby Penguin" after the latter introduced a colony of Humboldt Penguins for the first time in India at the Mumbai Zoo in 2016.
On the other hand, senior Shiv Sena leader and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde condemned the manner in which allegations were levelled against the Maharashtra government in the Sushant case, but said he would comment only after studying the Supreme Court ruling.
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