BJP leader Narayan Rane, son Nitesh booked for remarks on Disha Salian

Union Minister Narayan Rane; (right) Nitesh Rane, BJP MLA

Union minister Narayan Rane and his MLA son Nitesh have been booked by Malwani police on Sunday, based on the complaint of the parents of Disha Salian, a celebrity manager who had killed herself in June 2020.

The FIR was filed after Salian's mother Vasanti, 52, a resident of Dadar East, objected to Rane defaming her deceased daughter as he alleged that Salian was gang-raped and murdered.

"We have booked Narayan Rane and Nitesh Rane under various sections of the IPC, read with section 67 of the Information Technology Act," said a police officer. mid-day contacted Rane's lawyer but he was unavailable for comment.

As per Salian's mother's statement to the police, Rane raised a question about their daughter's character and forced people to start to avoid them. Vasanti said they were satisfied with the police investigation and had no complaints, said an officer from the Malwani police station.

Rane had addressed a press conference on February 19 during which he made certain claims regarding Salian's death and said she had been gang-raped before death.

Her parents earlier complained to the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) about the character assassination of their daughter and demanded action against the duo. The MSCW had then issued a notice to the Mumbai police and asked them to file a report in two days. The commission had also asked for her post-mortem report and a copy of the FIR along with other documents like statements of witnesses. "We submitted the report to the Mumbai police commissioner last week. The probe was closed last year as no evidence of foul play had been found in the case. Also, they did not find evidence to support the several allegations made on social media linking Salian's death with that of Sushant Singh Rajput, and claims that they were both murdered," said a cop.

The MSCW on Sunday said it has asked the police to block the social media accounts spreading false information about Salian's death. Salian allegedly killed herself by jumping from a high-rise building in Malad on June 8, 2020, six days before Rajput.