Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 3 (ANI): Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Thursday said that if Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and others named in connection with the Disha Salian death case have nothing to do with the matter, they should come forward and clarify their position, following the Bombay High Court's direction for a CBI probe.
The Maharashtra minister said he had maintained from the beginning that Salian's death should not be treated as a suicide and expressed confidence that the CBI investigation would bring out facts surrounding the case.
"We were clear from day one that this was not a suicide; this was a murder case. And events of that nature are now coming to light. Now the CBI investigation will begin, and an FIR will be lodged," Rane said.
He said his primary expectation from the investigation was that alleged destruction of evidence and misuse of power would be examined.
"My only expectation is that regarding the wrong that was done to our sister named Disha Salian—the way power was misused to destroy evidence and proof—all of those things are now going to come out. In the end, no matter how much you try to hide the truth, it eventually comes out," he said.
Meanwhile, the High Court had stated that nobody should be treated as an accused unless the Investigating Officer believes that there are sufficient grounds to raise reasonable suspicion against the person, based on the evidence collected.
Rane also welcomed the Bombay High Court order and said it would provide relief to Salian's father, Satish Salian.
The court has directed the CBI to register an FIR and conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Salian's death. The Malvani Police Station has also been directed to hand over relevant records to the CBI.
Salian, a celebrity manager, was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling from a building in Mumbai. Her death occurred days before actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence.
Advocate Nilesh Ojha, representing Salian's father, said the court had directed the CBI to record Satish Salian's statement and appoint a senior officer to investigate the case.
The High Court had earlier raised concerns over the registration of only an Accidental Death Report instead of an FIR despite allegations made by Salian's family. The court also noted that copies of the post-mortem report and ADR had not been provided to the family even years after her death.
Rane said the latest developments would help distinguish facts from allegations.
"People like us who have been speaking about this from day one—false cases were filed against us, attempts were made to arrest us, and immense pressure was put on many journalists. Now, the truth will soon be separated from the falsehood," he said. (ANI)
"If Aaditya Thackeray has nothing to do with this, no reason to stay quiet": Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Disha Salian death case
