New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday dismissed a news report which claimed that the agency has concluded that Mumbai-based talent manager Disha Salian's death was "accidental".
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, a CBI official said, "The Disha case was not with us, so how can we conclude anything? Moreover, the HC already rejected a PIL seeking a CBI probe into Disha's case."
It is pertinent to mention here that The Bombay High Court exactly two years ago had dismissed a petition seeking a court-monitored CBI probe into the death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. It also said if any person has information in the case, he/she is free to approach police.
The news report, which quoted a CBI officer anonymously, claimed that the CBI investigation has concluded that Disha was under the influence of alcohol on the day of her death and fell from the terrace due to a loss of balance.
It also claimed that even as there was no separate FIR or complaint into Disha’s death, the matter was investigated by the CBI in connection with Sushant’s death.
"The probe hasn’t found any substance in the allegations levelled by Nitesh Rane that Salian was assaulted and had approached Rajput for help and that there is a larger political conspiracy at play," another official from the agency was quoted as saying in the report.
However, after the news report went viral, BJP MLA and son of Union Minister Narayan Rane, Nitesh Rane took to Twitter and wrote, "I don’t blame the CBI for its observations in Disha's case. CBI entered after 72 days. From 8th June the “clean up” was done so well with the help of the MVA Gov that by the time the CBI entered nothing much could be recovered. Master of all Cover-ups!"
Nitesh Rane's claim on murder of Disha and link with "powerful person"
In March, Rane in Maharashtra Assembly had declared that soon he will handover proof od Disha Salian's murder to CBI through court. "I have a pen drive and it has proof that Disha Salian was murdered. We will give her justice", the BJP MLA had said in the state Assembly.
In September 2020, Rane had made shocking claims about the mysterious deaths of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput and his manager Disha Salian.
Rane had claimed that Disha's boyfriend and live-in partner Rohan Rai, a budding Bollywood actor, is aware of the motive for Disha's death but he is in hiding as he fears for his safety.
Rane, son of BJP MLA and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane from Kanakwali seat in Maharashtra, had said that when Disha was allegedly harassed and molested in the party on June 8.
He had also questioned the disappearance of Rohan after Disha's death. He told IANS that Rohan may have been forced by some "powerful person" to leave Mumbai.
He had alleged that the mysterious deaths of Sushant and Disha were interlinked, but the Mumbai Police did not investigate the Disha angle.
Later, Salian’s mother Vasanti Salian had filed a complaint against the Ranes for making statements at a press conference, making averments that her death was not due to suicide, but was a murder. They had also made some controversial statements and alleged certain incidents before her death. The aggrieved mother had complained that these had led to disrespect for their daughter, suspicion over her character and had caused great suffering to the family.
Salian, 28, had reportedly fallen from the 14th floor of Galaxy Regent building at Malad in Mumbai on the intervening night of June 8-9, 2020.
(With inputs from agencies)
