Self-styled investigator cited forged letters from PM, ministers on Sridevi's death: CBI
New Delhi, Feb 4: The CBI has filed a charge sheet against a self-styled investigator alleging that she cited in a YouTube video "forged" letters from high dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, to support her claims regarding the death of actor Sridevi, officials said on Sunday.
Last year, the CBI registered a case against Deepti R Pinniti, based in Bhubaneswar, and her lawyer Bharath Suresh Kamath following a complaint from Mumbai-based lawyer Chandni Shah, which was referred to the agency by the Prime Minister's Office.
Shah alleged that Pinniti had produced several documents, including letters from the prime minister and the defence minister, along with documents related to the Supreme Court and records from the UAE government, which appeared to be forged.
Pinniti has been an active participant in social media discussions on the death of Bollywood actors such as Sridevi and Sushant Singh Rajput.
Sridevi died in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in February 2018.
With regard to Sridevi's death, she made sensational claims, including a "coverup between the two governments" in one interview, based on her "investigations."
In response to a PTI 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 court when 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.
After filing an FIR against her last year, the CBI had conducted searches at her residence in Bhubaneswar on December 2, seizing digital devices, including phones and laptops.
According to the CBI's report submitted to a special court, the investigation revealed that the documents presented by her during YouTube discussions, pertaining to 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.
"The suspect Deepti Rani Pinniti has time and again maligned the image of the present government by bizarrely accusing the government as the sponsor of the death of Sridevi...," Mumbai-based lawyer Shah had alleged in her complaint.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
