Disha Salian's father had to go to HC as he has not received justice until now: BJP's Narayan Rane

Former Union Minister Narayan Rane addresses the media in Mumbai, on Saturday. Pic/X

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Narayan Rane on Saturday said that the failure to deliver justice to Disha Salian's father is the reason he moved to the Bombay High Court, seeking a fresh investigation into his daughter's death. The Bombay High Court has listed the writ petition filed by her father, and the Disha Salian case will be heard on April 2, news agency ANI reported.

Addressing the media in a press conference, Rane said, "Disha Salian's father had to go to the High Court because he has not received justice until now. Her father felt he would not receive justice from the police, so he went to the High Court."

Rane further claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the time of Disha Salian's death in 2020, had called him and asked him not to mention his son Aditya's involvement in the case during a press interaction, ANI reported.

"Uddhav Thackeray's PA (personal assistant), who is now probably an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly), called me. I was also going home at that time, and he [PA] said that Uddhav Thackeray wanted to speak with me... He [PA] asked, 'Will you talk?' I asked where he was [Uddhav Thackeray] and to give him the phone. As soon as he [Uddhav Thackeray] received the phone, I said, 'Jai Maharashtra.' He [Uddhav Thackeray] asked me if I still say 'Jai Maharashtra,' to which I replied that I would keep saying 'Jai Maharashtra' until I die," the former Union Minister remarked.

"After that, he [Uddhav Thackeray] asked me not to take his son's [Aditya Thackeray] name in the press. I said I have not taken anyone's name. I said [in the press] that a minister is involved. He [Aditya Thackeray] was a minister when the incidents of Sushant Singh and Disha Salian happened. Everyone knew about this, and there was evidence too," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister added.

In the writ petition filed by Satish Salian, he has also asked for the interrogation of Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Aditya Thackeray, and the transfer of the investigation into his daughter's death to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Mumbai Police had formed SIT to probe into Disha Salian case

Disha Salian, the former manager of the late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. She was found dead on June 8, 2020, just days before the actor was found hanging in his flat in suburban Bandra, Mumbai. A copy of the writ petition has also been served on Sameer Wankhede, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director at the time, by the advocate representing Satish Salian, ANI reported.

In 2023, the Mumbai Police formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe into the Disha Salian case. The Mumbai Police had previously registered an accidental death case in the matter.

Earlier, Aditya Thackeray alleged that attempts to defame him have been going on for the past five years. He stressed that as the matter is now in court, he would reserve his comments for the legal proceedings. "A lot of people have tried to defame me for the last five years. If the matter is in court, then we will speak in court," the Worli legislator told the media.

(With ANI inputs)