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Sridevi funeral news updates: Arjun Kapoor leaves for Dubai as family awaits clearance to bring actor home

FP Staff

Feb,27 2018 13:28 59 IST

Sridevi funeral news updates: Arjun Kapoor leaves for Dubai as family awaits clearance to bring actor home

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Arjun Kapoor leaves for Dubai

    Uncertainty continues over repatriation of Sridevi as legal formalities are yet to be finished. Meanwhile, reports said that Arjun Kapoor has left for Dubai to help his father Boney Kapoor.  

  • Sridevi's life a classic case of how each person's actual life is completely different from how the world perceives it: Ram Gopal Varma 

    Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who directed Sridevi in films like Great Robbery, Govindhaa... Govindhaa... and Hairaan, says that the late actor has been a "very unhappy woman" and her life was a "classic case of how each person's actual life is completely different from how the world perceives it".

    In a personal note on her, Varma says that she was the most desirable woman and the biggest superstar of the country but that's just a part of the story.

    Varma says that except for a short glimmer of English Vinglish, Sridevi had been pretty much very unhappy. "She went through so much in her life and due to her early career entry, life never gave her time to grow up at a normal pace," writes Varma.

    Read the full note here

  • Public Prosecutor statement any minute now, reports Gulf media

    According to reports in UAE media, Public Prosecutor will release the official statement any time now. However, the Dubai Police has claimed that without due procedure the body will not be released for embalming or repatriation. 

    According to the Dubai Police, unless all those involved in the case (directly and indirectly) are cleared after questioning, the body of the veteran actor will not be released. 

  • Moni Mathews, Senior journalist

    Body will be released only after all those involved have been questioned and cleared: Dubai Police

    Dubai police said its only after questioning all the people involved directly and indirectly the case will be cleared and for the body to be released from the morgue for embalming and repatriation.

  • Moni Mathews, Senior journalist

    Public Prosecutor and Dubai Police will clear body for embalming only after all doubts raised on the night of Sridevi's death were cleared

    Requesting anonymity Indian consulate officials said that the Dubai Police has to go through certain protocols and they can't skip steps. They added that the public prosecutor and the police were trying to expedite matters but would only clear the body for embalming after all the doubts raised on Sunday (when Sridevi's death was reported) were cleared.

  • Lesser known facts about Sridevi: Actor was offered role in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park, but she refused

  • Referring cases to Dubai Public Prosecutor is a common procedure: Gulf News

    Gulf News quoted a chief prosecutor: “In such accidental death incidents, the results of the post-mortem and forensic examination reports are referred to the Public Prosecution as part of ordinary law enforcement procedures. The papers are revised by the prosecutors of the jurisdiction where the incident happened. An official order to hand over the body of the deceased to the family or relatives is issued shortly after that.”

    The report further added that in case of any suspicious foul play, prosecutors would carry out further detailed investigations and decide on any future law enforcement procedures accordingly.

  • FP Editors

    Police bandobast outside Anil Kapoor's home in Lokhandwala in Andheri West

  • Dubai Public Prosecution says probe still on to determine circumstances surrounding Sridevi's death

    The officials at the Dubai Public Prosecution office, the probe is still going on to determine the circumstances surrounding Sridevi's death, as the forensic report, which came out on Monday, only says that the actor died of accidental drowning, reports Gulf News.

  • Dubai police following usual protocol, Indian consulate assures Sridevi's family

    Khaleej Times reported that the officials at Indian Consulate maintained that the Dubai Police are following the usual protocol and are not delaying the process. The report further added that the officials in Dubai want to be 100 percent sure about all their claims, considering the extremely sensitive nature of the case.

  • Sridevi's family waiting for clearance letter from Dubai Public Prosecution, says report

    Indian Consulate officials told Khaleej Times that the Dubai Police were following usual protocol. However considering the highly sensitive nature of the case, they want be 100 percent sure before handing over the body to the family.

  • A timeline of events leading up to the Sridevi's death

    Legendary Bollywood actress Sridevi's death is shrouded in countless questions. With multiple narratives floating around, here is a recap of everything that happened after she left the country and events leading up to her death.

  • Inconsistencies appear in timeline leading up to Sridevi's death as questions remain unanswered

    There are inconsistencies in the timeline leading up to her death. While initial reports said the first call to the police was made at 9 pm, the autopsy report said the time of death was 10.01 pm. There is, therefore, an hour's gap between the official time of death and the first call made to the police, during which no confirmed call to a doctor was made.

    Click here to read more

  • Subramanian Swamy says details in media inconsistent

    BJP leader Subramanian Swamy says details in media are inconsistent as far as Sridevi's death case is concerned. " She never drank hard liquor, how did it enter her system? What happened to CCTV? Doctors suddenly appeared before media & said she died of heart failure," Swamy was quoted as saying by ANI.

  • Embalming process still remains to be completed

    Embalming usually happens between 7 am and 5 pm, but Khaleej Times reported that in unusual cases, when the embalming unit in Muhaisna get a call from higher authorities, they perform the embalming at any given time.

    "At the time of reporting this, sources at the unit in Muhaisna revealed that there was only one body present at the centre, and the staff at the unit were heading home," Khaleej Times reports.

  • India working closely with UAE authorities to ensure early release of body

    "We are working with local authorities to ensure that mortal remains can be sent to India at the earliest. We are on the job," said Navdeep Singh Suri, adding that "Our experience in similar cases tells us that it does take 2-3 days to complete processes."

    The body was likely to be embalmed today, Khaleej Times reported. Sridevi's body will be brought back to Mumbai for the funeral by a chartered jet.

  • Might take 2-3 days to complete all processes: Navdeep Suri

    Indian Ambassador to UAE says might take two to three days to complete all processes. 

  • Timeline leading upto Sridevi's death full of inconsistencies

    According to the autopsy report, Sridevi died at 10.01 pm on Saturday. There are a few questions that crop up:

    - Boney Kapoor found Sridevi unconscious in the hotel bathtub at around 5.30 pm (Dubai time)

    - Boney called his friends and the hotel staff for help. Sridevi's body was taken out of the bathtub and they tried to revive her. 

    - According to reports, the first call to the police was made at 9 pm. 

    - Autopsy report pegs time of death at 10.01 pm. 

    - Indian consulate officials, however, told Khaleej Times that the time of death was 11 pm, which widens the time gap even further

    - There is no confirmation or any report which confirms that a doctor was called in the ensuing period. Incidentally, Jumeirah Hotel told Firstpost that all of their five-star properties have on-call doctors.

    There is an hour gap between the official time of death and the first call made to the police.

  • FP Dubai

    Sridevi died at 10.01 pm on Saturday night

    Autopsy report confirms that Sridevi died at 10.01 on Saturday night. More details are awaited. It is, however, important to note that there is a gap of an hour and a half between the time of death (according to the autopsy report) and the time it was reported. 

  • Boney Kapoor not interrogated, it was just a testimony, say reports

    According to several media reports, Dubai Police merely recorded Boney Kapoor testimony.  "As per standard police investigation procedures, director and husband of late Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, only provided his testimony on Sunday morning. The conversation between police and the director took place when her body was discovered at Jumeirah Emirates Tower Hotel on the night of her death," a Gulf-based paper reported. 

  • FP Dubai

    Sridevi's hotel room is sealed and under control of Dubai Police

    Boney Kapoor was called in for questioning by the Dubai Police at the Bur Dubai police station and most of the questions were related to the last hours he spent with Sridevi. 

    The room where Sridevi died is sealed and it’s under the control of Dubai police. The preliminary report did not specify a time of death, but more details are expected in the detailed report. 

  • Heavy security outside Anil Kapoor's residence

  • Prosecutors recommend further probe into Sridevi's death

  • Dubai Public Prosecution begins probe

    Claiming that further probe is required in the Sridevi death case, the Dubai Public Prosecution has begun its investigation. The investigation into her death began early on Sunday morning, and the actor's body has been at the General Department of Forensic Evidence, Dubai, since 2.30am on Sunday, Khaleej Times reported.

  • Boney Kapoor not interrogated by Dubai Police, cops tells Khaleej Times

    According to Khaleej Times, a newspaper based out of UAE, the Dubai Police has claimed that Boney Kapoor was not interrogated. The media reports claiming so are baseless, the paper further reported. 

    "As per standard police investigation procedures, director and husband of the late Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, only provided his testimony on Sunday morning. The conversation between police and the director took place when her body was discovered at Jumeirah Emirates Tower Hotel on the night of her death. However, he was not called by the police on Monday for further interrogation. All media reports regarding further questioning are baseless..."

  • Media frenzy over Sridevi death understandable, but it doesn't help matters, says Indian ambassador to UAE

    Indian Ambassador to UAE Navdeep Suri tweeted late on Monday and said that media frenzy, while understandable, does not help the situation. 

    "We are working with local authorities to ensure that mortal remains can be sent to India at the earliest. We are on the job," Suri said in one of the two tweets.  "Our experience in similar cases tells us that it does take 2-3 days to complete processes," he added.

  • Updates for 27 February, 2018 begins

  • FP Dubai

    Visuals from Quisais police general head quarters

  • Visual from outside police mortuary

  • FP Dubai

    Speculations rife around actors death: Is the real meaning lost in translation?

    The official language in UAE is Arabic and all certificates and other paperwork is carried out in the language. As speculations and guess work picked up, it is important to note here that the translated version of the forensic report was available for circulation in the media much too soon. The lack of detail and obvious spelling errors (drowning was spelt drawning) indicate that the translation was rather hurried.

    There are translation departments at all government offices or the job is sometimes outsourced, when it is to do with commercial transactions and civil cases.

    It is possible that nuances of the report and literal meanings were lost in translation, and that the translation was not written in an in-depth manner. 

    However, while the main document is made in Arabic, translations with official seal are also regarded as official documents. The authority issuing the document itself translates and puts seal on the print out.

  • Indian envoy says repatriation open-ended

    India’s Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said that with the new development, and the case being referred to the public prosecution department, the repatriation issue is now open ended. He added that the Indian Embassy is in talks with the Dubai authorities to get clearance and is hopeful it will happen soon, Gulf News reported. 

  • Moni Mathews, Senior journalist

    Sridevi's body not being embalmed today; mortal remains kept at forensic department at police headquarters

    Contrary to earlier reports, it is now being said that Sridevi's body will not be embalmed today and the actor's mortal remains are kept at the forensic department at the police headquarters. 

    Khaleej Times reported that the embalming likely to take place at Sonapur by noon on Tuesday.

  • Kamal Haasan reaches Anil Kapoor's residence 

  • Shah Rukh Khan's Zero will be Sridevi's last film

    Sridevi will make her final appearance on silver screen in December in a cameo appearance in Shah Rukh Khan starrer Zero. She shot for her scene last year in October. The legendary actor will be seen playing herself and will share screen space with Karisma Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan, Zoom reported.

  • Shakti Kapoor condoles Sridevi's death, says sad actor couldn't see daughter's debut film 

  • Dubai Police to record Boney Kapoor's statement on wife's death

    Executive Editor of UAE's Khaleej Times, Vicky Kapur told ABP News that the Dubai Police will record the statement of Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor in connection with her sudden demise. Boney was present in the room where Sridevi died of "accident drowning" and was reportedly the one who first found her lying unconscious in the bath tub. 

  • Bikram Vohra, consulting editor

    Now that Dubai Police has released the body for embalming and repatriation, is the probe over? Is it all clear? 

    The answer is a NO. And here’s why:

    The Dubai police, backed by state of the art equipment and a forensic laboratory that is comparable to anything in the world, have a first rate investigative record and have resolved crimes often in hours of their occurring.

    At this moment there is no crime committed but the police will investigate the circumstances that led to Sridevi’s death by drowning. The first step is to send the forensic report to the public prosecutor's office which will assess the merit of the case and then decide on further action. And if they believe that there are persons of interest who can shed light on the issue — whether it concerns the alcohol content in her blood or the reason why the bath tub was reportedly full or even why a friend was called by husband Boney Kapoor rather than the hotel doctor and support staff — they will detain and question anyone they feel can shed light on how she drowned.

    There is no guilt or suspicion and it is only procedure and the answers may well clear the air. . 

    If there is even a shred of doubt or a grey area they will not allow people to leave the country. The police probe is mutually exclusive from the medical report and the body’s release has no bearing on the police taking further steps.

    Much of the mess created in what will now be a trying time for all has been by conjecture. Indian media’s feeding frenzy and the premature conclusion that she died of a cardiac arrest is what has led to the confusion. It would be better to just let the police in Dubai get on with their task and till then a freeze on guesswork would be appropriate.

    The author is a Firstpost coloumnist and former editor of Gulf News and Khaleej Times

  • Moni Mathews, Senior journalist

    The three main questions surrounding Sridevi's death

    The police is still working out the exact circumstances that lead to the 'accidental drowning'. The actor, who was earlier presumed to have died of natural reasons (cardiac arrest), has now been declared dead due to accidental drowning. This raises some questions.

    • If Boney Kapoor forced the bathroom door open at 6.25 pm as reports say, why was the police informed at 9 pm after seeking a Dubai based friend's advice.
    • Why was she not taken to the hosp courtesy the hotel emergency assistance service?
    • Whose version was it telling the world that Sridevi died of a 'massive attack'?

  • Moni Mathews, Senior journalist

    Sridevi's phone call records being analysed by investigators

    According to police sources, specific phone call records from 24 to 48 hours before the time of death are being closely looked at by the investigating agencies.  As per the sources, repeated phone calls by one specific individual is said to be the main focus of the probe agencies.

  • Family friend, politician Amar Singh Says Sridevi never consumed hard liquor

    Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh has said that Sridevi never consumed hard liquor and only drank wines on social occassions. He was reacting to reports that traces of alcohol have been found in her blood. 

  • Manish Malhotra tweets his condolence

  • Moni Mathews, Senior journalist

    Boney Kapoor asked to join investigation 

    The Dubai Public Prosecutor has called up Boney Kapoor and the hotel staff to join the investigation. The police is apparently trying to ascertain the exact circumstances that lead to the drowning of the veteran actor. 

  • Delay in return of mortal remains of Sridevi expected

    Further delay in return of mortal remains of Sridevi expected, reports ANI. The report states that the Dubai police, which has given clearance for the return, is still awaiting clearance from the Prosecution magistrate. Indian authorities were informed that the body can only be handed over after a nod from the prosecution magistrate.

  • Working closely with local authorities to expedite return of Sridevi's mortal remains, says Indian Envoy to UAE 

    "Our embassy and consulate are working closely with local authorities to expedite the return of mortal remains of Sridevi and also keeping Kapoor family apprised, it is our endeavour to send mortal remains at earliest," Indian Envoy to UAE Navdeep Suri said to ANI 

  • Authorities say slim chances that the body will be released today: Khaleej Times 

    Meanwhile, Khaleej Times reports that there are slim chances that the body will be released today. The report adds that Boney Kapoor's family and a group of social workers are awaiting approvals for the release from the public prosecutor.   

  • Sridevi's mortal remains should reach India by midnight, says SP leader​ Amar Singh

  • Abhishek Srivastava

    Films that the veteran actor did with Jeetendra were a mini-industry unto themselves

    Sridevi and Jeetendra together spelt a crackling chemistry and guaranteed box office success, which most actors failed to offer in the 80s. The films that featured the two stars together were solely aimed to entertain the masses. The pair was also instrumental in sort of launching (though unknowingly) a mini-industry unto itself which churned out films in succession and in most cases hit the bull’s eye.

    The format was simple and crisp. A unit of limited people from Mumbai was to be lodged either in Hyderabad or Chennai (depending upon the shoot location) and the technical crew comprising the director and his team of assistants were to be the local. This format spawned a series of film and two actors who benefitted the most from this set up were Sridevi and Jeetendra.

    Read more here

  • A look back at some of Sridevi's most memorable melodies 

  • Dubai Police confirms Sridevi's demise occurred due to drowning in her hotel apartment’s bathtub following the loss of consciousness

    As reported earlier, the Dubai Police also said that the case has been transferred to the Dubai Public Prosecution, which will carry out regular legal procedures followed in such cases.

  • Sridevi's body may not come back tonight; repatriation experts say 3 more papers needed: CNN-News 18

    CNN-News 18 reported that three more papers are needed to finish the repatriation process and it is not normal for Dubai authorities to release any papers after 4.00-4.30 pm (6.00 pm IST). In this case they may make an exception because a celebrity is involved but the chances that the body may be repatriated today appear slim. 

Sridevi funeral updates: Arjun Kapoor is reportedly leaving for Dubai to join his father Boney Kapoor in the wait for the release of Sridevi’s body. Uncertainty continues  in the repatriation of Sridevi as legal formalities are yet to be finished.

According to latest reports, Public Prosecutor report is expected any minute now. Meanwhile, the Dubai Police has said its only after questioning all the people involved directly and indirectly the case will be cleared and for the body to be released from the morgue for embalming and repatriation.

Indian Consulate officials told Khaleej Times that the Dubai Police were following usual protocol. However considering the highly sensitive nature of the case, they want be 100 percent sure before handing over the body to the family.

It has been more than 48 hours since Sridevi's death was reported in the media. Due to several procedural delays, the actor's mortal remains has still not reached India. India's envoy to the UAE Navdeep Suri has discouraged speculation on the death of Bollywood icon Sridevi in Dubai, saying the Indian mission was in touch with the local authorities to complete the formalities.

Sridevi's funeral is likely to be further delayed as authorities in Dubai are yet to complete formalities, release the actor's body and issue a death certificate. Her husband Boney Kapoor has given a statement to the Dubai Police on the circumstances surrounding his wife's death.

Timeline leading upto Sridevi's death is fraught with inconsistencies. While the autopsy pegs the time of death at 10.01 pm (Dubai time), the first call to the police was made at 9 pm. Sridevi's "unconscious" body was retrieved from the hotel bathtub at around 5.30 pm (Dubai time). There is also no confirmation that a doctor was called in the ensuing period.

Heavy security has been deployed outside Anil Kapoor's residence in Mumbai, ANI reported. The news agency also reported that Boney Kapoor returned to his hotel in Dubai after police recorded his statement on Monday.

Another report in Khaleej Times claims that reports saying that Boney Kapoor will be interrogated by the Dubai Police are baseless. "As per standard police investigation procedures, director and husband of the late Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, only provided his testimony on Sunday morning. The conversation between police and the director took place when her body was discovered at Jumeirah Emirates Tower Hotel on the night of her death. However, he was not called by the police on Monday for further interrogation. All media reports regarding further questioning are baseless..."

A day after actor Sridevi passed away suddenly, Monday was full of dramatic revelations. Starting from Khaleej Times reporting the last 30 minutes of the actor's life with her husband Boney Kapoor to the forensics coming to the conclusion that Sridevi died due to accidental drowning in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness, the case which seemed quite open-ended in the start got murkier as the day passed.

Boney reportedly discovered Sridevi unconscious in the bathtub filled with water. She was taken to a hospital where she was declared dead on arrival. Dubai Police called in Kapoor on Monday to Bur Dubai police station for investigation. Police took his statement after which he was allowed to go back to his hotel room, sources were quoted as saying by the Gulf News.

A file photo of late Sridevi. Image courtesy: News18

A file photo of late Sridevi. Image courtesy: News18

The Dubai government said in a tweet the police had transferred the case to the "Dubai Public Prosecution" which will carry out regular legal procedures followed in such cases.

"Dubai police headquarters stated that the death of the Indian actress Sridevi occurred due to drowning in her hotel apartment's bathtub following loss of consciousness," the Dubai government's media office said on Twitter.

There could be a further delay in Sridevi's body being brought back to India, with the Dubai police informing the Indian Embassy that another "clearance" was awaited before the body could be released. Sridevi was in Dubai for a family wedding and had stayed back after the ceremonies. Her husband had flown back to Mumbai with their younger daughter Khushi, but returned to Dubai to surprise her.

The news of her death, first reported at around 3 a.m. IST on Sunday, sent shock waves across the country with those who knew her at a loss to explain how the star, who was present at several wedding functions in Dubai last week, could suddenly breathe her last.

Her family has not commented beyond their initial statement yesterday to announce the death, and has requested the media not to contact them as they grapple with the tragedy.

Published Date: Feb 27, 2018 13:28 PM | Updated Date: Feb 27, 2018 13:33 PM

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