Dubai police record Boney Kapoor's statement

The Dubai police have recorded the statement of Bollywood producer Boney Kapoor, husband of late veteran actress Sridevi who died of accidental drowning in her hotel bathtub after losing consciousness.

Sources told Gulf News that Boney was called to the Bur Dubai police station for questioning.

The police took his statement after which he was allowed to return to his hotel.

Indian diplomatic officials told Gulf News they were trying their best to get all approvals so that the body was repatriated. However, they did not provide a definite time for the process.

India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri in an earlier interview with the Indian media had said that they had got clearance from Dubai authorities to repatriate the 54-year-old actress's mortal remains.

However a diplomatic source said that with the new development of the case being referred to the Public Prosecution, the repatriation issue is now open ended.

He added that the Indian Embassy was in talks with the Dubai authorities to get clearance and is hopeful it will happen soon.

"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," a chief prosecutor told Gulf News.

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

Dubai police have transferred the case to Dubai Public Prosecution, which will carry out regular legal procedures followed in such cases, according to the Dubai Media Office.

Initial investigation showed that Sridevi drowned following loss of consciousness in the bathtub of her hotel room.

They found traces of alcohol in her body and this may have led to the accident.

"The investigation is still going on to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident as the forensic report only says that she drowned," an official said.

The police are trying to piece together the sequence of events and find out who was with her when the incident happened.

Sources have said that the Dubai Police have released the forensic report on Sridevi's death to her family and the Indian Consulate representative.

The envelope has not been opened. It has been sent to the Bur Dubai police station. Both the representatives have gone to the police station with it. Once opened by Dubai police, and the information revealed to the family, then the next step for the process of repatriation will be decided.

Dubai police have confirmed that there will be further delays in repatriating the body of the Indian actress who died in here on Saturday.

Sridevi's mortal remains are expected to be released later on Tuesday after blood and organ test results are out, Gulf News has learnt.

A forensic source here said that the biopsy of blood and organs is routinely carried out in cases where cause of death is not clearly known.