Narayan Rane, his son Nitesh have become punching bag for Maharashtra government: Lawyer

Narayan Rane and Nitesh Rane. File Pic

Union minister Narayan Rane and his son Nitesh Rane have become a "punching bag" for the Maharashtra government, their lawyer told a court while seeking pre-arrest bail for them in a case related to alleged defamation of late Disha Salian.

As both the defence and prosecution completed their arguments, additional sessions judge (Dindoshi court) SU Baghele is likely to pass an order on Wednesday. Salian (28), a former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, allegedly committed suicide by jumping off a high-rise in suburban Malad on June 8, 2020.

Rajput died by suicide six days later at his Bandra flat. A case was registered against Union MSME minister Narayan Rane and his son and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane at suburban Malvani police station after Salian's mother filed a complaint that Narayan Rane made slanderous and misleading claims about Disha's death at a press conference on February 19, 2022, in the presence of his son. Fearing arrest, the duo sought anticipatory bail.

The court has given them temporary protection from arrest which continues. Advocate Satish Maneshinde, their lawyer, said on Tuesday that Narayan Rane and Nitesh "have become a punching bag for the state machinery." Apart from a single statement, there is no other evidence, and several bogus cases have been registered against them elsewhere, he argued. Referring to the Ranes' visit to the police station earlier this month, Maneshinde said they were at the station from 1.45 pm to 10 pm. "For such a complaint, a statement can be recorded in five minutes. It does not require eight to ten hours," the lawyer said.

Several other people and even members of the media had written about alleged reasons behind Disha's death, he said. "Have they all been prosecuted?" the lawyer asked. Maneshinde also said that Narayan Rane had only stated that the probe into Disha's death had not been carried out properly, and he was seeking justice for her. This was not a case where custodial interrogation was necessary, he argued.

Special public prosecutor Ashoke Gharat argued that police were "going by fact and law" and not "by political rivalry." There was a through probe into Disha's death and her family was satisfied about it, the prosecutor said. "Narayan Rane is an honourable union cabinet minister, Nitesh is an honourable MLA...They are not ordinary people....they are expected to talk with responsibility," he added. Advocate Vaibhav Bagade, who appeared for Salian's family, argued that if the Ranes were making allegations repeatedly, they ought to have provided evidence to the court or police, and they had no right to pick the investigating agency.

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