Police say they have found no new evidence or information in the alleged suicide case; say those spreading rumours will face defamation charges
Disha Salian. File pic
With rumours and conspiracy theories on social media linking the alleged suicides of Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager Disha Salian, the Malvani police under the supervision of a DCP-rank office have started recording fresh statements. Police have also decided to book people spreading rumours about her death.
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Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone 11, Mumbai, Vishal Thakur is personally overseeing the interviews that started on August 4, said a police officer on condition of anonymity. So far, the DCP, along with the assistant police commissioner and a senior police inspector have questioned more than 25 people in connection with Salian's death on the night of June 8.
During the initial investigation, police had questioned only nine people, including her family, fiancé Rohan Roy, her friends twice and the watchman of Regent Galaxy where she was living. They have been interviewed again to cross-check their previous statements, while several new people — neighbours and those who entered the building between June 4, when she moved to the society, and June 8, the night of which she allegedly jumped off the building — were also called for questioning.
Eyewitnesses, the doctors at Shatabdi Hospital where she was taken immediately after the incident, driver of the ambulance who transported her body from Shatabdi to Bhagwati Hospital in Borivli, and women witnesses [panch] who were present when the inquest panchnama are also among the new interviewees.
Police have also cross-checked the facts to debunk the rumours that her body was found naked after she allegedly jumped and that there were injury marks on her private parts, the officer said. The autopsy clarified that Salian died of multiple injuries to her head and other parts of her body, and that there were no injury marks on her body.
Nothing new yet
Police have discovered nothing new in the case, the officer said, adding there's no evidence supporting a link between the two alleged suicides.
"The Malvani police station investigating the Salian death case has CCTV footage of the Regent Galaxy building in Jankalyan Nagar, Malad West, from where Disha Salian died," the officer told mid-day. "Details of every person who entered the building from June 4 to June 8 were collected and all of them are in contact with Malvani police station. No politician or Bollywood actors are on that list."
After Rajput's body was found hanging at his Bandra home on June 14, several social media users started spreading rumours and theories linking his death to Salian's.
Rumours misleading people
"They are completely false and are misleading the people. So, the police are preparing to register a defamation case against such people. Also, Salian's parents had approached the police seeking their intervention, stating that such false theories on social media are tarnishing their daughter's image," the officer said.
"The investigation is still going on. If anyone has any authentic information related to this case, they can contact the police who will investigate the matter accordingly," said additional commissioner, north region, Dilip Sawant.
4
Day in August when Malvani police started taking fresh statements
25
No. of people police have interviewed so far
8
Day in June Disha Salian allegedly killed herself
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