Sushant Singh Rajput wasn't Worried About Money, Says Ankita Lokhande

Sushant Singh Rajput's former girlfriend Ankita Lokhande has said that financial problems could not be one of the reasons that led to the actor's alleged suicide.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Ankita said, "Sushant was not worried about money. He would say that even if everything is taken from me, I can build my own empire again. He was that capable and I believed him. When people say that he was financially low and all that, it's very painfully to hear because Sushant wasn't a money-minded guy."

When asked whether she believes somebody could have cheated him, Ankita said, "People can do that."

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case, taking cognisance of a Bihar Police FIR registered against actress Rhea Chakraborty and some others to slap criminal charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in its complaint. The ED will probe allegations of alleged mishandling of Rajput's money and his bank accounts.

Talking about professional rivalry as a factor, Ankita said, "I can tell you from the time when Sushant was with me. Sanjay sir had offered a film to both of us and we both denied it for individual reasons. Ekta Kapoor, who is part of this whole nepotism debate, she launched Sushant in Pavitra Rishta. When he tried to quit Pavitra Rishta, she said, ok fine, you want to go and try movies, go ahead."

"Kai Po Che, his first film, was directed by Abhishek Kapoor, who is Ekta's brother. Ekta could have asked him not to cast Sushant. But she never did that. After that also Ekta has approached Sushant many times for films, but he did not do them. I want to clarify this because I was there around that time," she added.

When asked if there is no basis for the nepotism debate in Sushant's case, Ankita said, "I don't know. Sushant had worked with good production houses. That's how he rose to stardom. He did good projects. But I can't comment on the 4 years that I was not with him."

Ankita also said that Bihar Police did not take her statement, they took some details from her.