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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

HC orders CBI to probe Disha Salian’s death

Her father has named Aaditya Thackeray as an accused in the case Mumbai Police’s clean chit to accused likely to be investigated Disha’s father Satish Salian outside Bombay High Court in Mumbai on Wednesday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the death of Bollywood celeb manager Disha Salian in June 2020 – a week before her client and actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s passing – here on Wednesday. A division bench...

HC orders CBI to probe Disha Salian’s death

Her father has named Aaditya Thackeray as an accused in the case Mumbai Police’s clean chit to accused likely to be investigated Disha’s father Satish Salian outside Bombay High Court in Mumbai on Wednesday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the death of Bollywood celeb manager Disha Salian in June 2020 – a week before her client and actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s passing – here on Wednesday. A division bench comprising Justice S. V. Kotwal and Justice R. R. Bhonsale asked the CBI to name a suitable experienced officer and to register a FIR based on a complaint filed by her father Satish Salian. The court also suggested the agency to keep an open mind on the probe into the high profile and sensitive case while making it clear that the registering a FIR does not imply finding a guilt against anyone. “Nobody shall be treated as an accused unless, in the opinion of the investigating officer, there are sufficient grounds to raise reasonable suspicion against him, depending on the material collected during the investigation,” said Justice Kotwal and Justice Bhonsale’s order. Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad after which the Mumbai Police filed an Accidental Death Report in 2021, concluding it was a suicide. A week later on June 14, 2020, Rajput was found hanging in the bedroom of his Bandra rented flat sparking off a major political row. Following intense speculation the police reopened Salian’s case in 2022. Father’s Plea Satish Salian moved the high court in 2024 alleging that he was misled and pressured by the police and politicians to accept the ‘suicide’ conclusion. Alleging gang-rape and murder, he sought an independent CBI probe, filing of FIR against several persons, including Shiv Sena (UBT) Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray, and claimed that critical forensic and other evidence were not disclosed to Disha’s family. Accepting his plea, the high court ordered the Mumbai Police to hand over all necessary case papers, physical articles and other evidence to the CBI investigating officer. Many Doubts The high court noted how the two-stage police probe went on for almost six years and apparently raised many doubts, hence an investigation by the CBI was necessary. The central agency was directed to delve into all aspects surrounding Disha’s death. “The CBI shall interact with Salian and his family with sensitivity as they will have to remember the tragic incident in detail. At the same time care should be taken that no innocent person is harassed and the offenders, if any, are made to face the trial,” said the order. Earlier, the court had questioned the legal validity of the prolonged inquiry without registering an FIR and observed that when subsequent allegations came up, an offence should have been registered, probed and concluded with legal sanctity. Chief Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray had defended the procedure, submitting that witness statements and forensic reports ruled out foul play or sexual assault, the initial ADR inquiry was closed within three months, but reopened in 2023 following social media claims. Senior Advocate Sudeep Pasbola appeared for Aaditya Thackeray and intervened in the matter, while advocates Nilesh Ojha and Abhishek Mishra represented Salian. Pasbola contended that (Salian’s) petition arose out of political rivalry against Thackeray and that Salian was “being used as a tool”, and riding on a motivated complaint based on irresponsible media reports. Plea to President In March 2022, Satish Salian and his wife Vasanti had sent five-page letters to then President Ramnath Kovind seeking to restrain a BJP union minister (Narayan Rae) and his son (Nitesh N. Rane), for allegedly ‘maligning’ their daughter Disha’s image with ‘fake narratives’ that had made their lives miserable. The aged couple had also warned that if the concerned authorities failed to take suitable steps, they would be left with no alternative “but to end our lives”. Two years later he moved the high court for a CBI probe which was allowed today.

Discussions on among allies for govt formation: Ajit Pawar

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister and NCP head Ajit Pawar on Monday said discussions were underway among the Mahayuti partners to finalise a formula for the new government formation in the state.


Speaking to reporters at Karad in Satara district, Pawar also acknowledged the contribution of the government's Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides financial assistance to women, in the Mahayuti's victory in the just-concluded state assembly polls.


The NCP leader also assured that the alliance was working cohesively following its resounding victory in the state assembly elections.


Pawar paid tributes to Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan at his memorial in Karad on his death anniversary.


In the state poll results declared on Saturday, the Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, bagged an impressive 230 of the 288 assembly seats.


The focus has been on BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is being seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time, as his party bagged 132 of the 149 seats it contested in the state.


Notably, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar has said his party legislators feel Eknath Shinde should continue as the chief minister of the state, where the ruling Mahayuti scored a landslide victory in the assembly polls.


Ajit Pawar said, "We will decide what formula to work out on the cabinet formation among the three parties."


Reflecting on the elections, he acknowledged the contribution of the Ladki Bahin scheme in the Mahayuti's win.


"We cannot ignore that Ladki Bahin helped us in this election. We are grateful to them (women voters)," he said.


Defending the scheme, Pawar, who is also the state finance minister, further said, "Had I been opposed to the Ladki Bahin scheme, I would not have presented it in the House. I discussed the scheme with several retired finance officers before finalising it."


Pawar also dismissed concerns raised by some opposition leaders over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), pointing out that polls in states like Punjab, West Bengal and Telangana, governed by their political opponents, have been conducted with the same system.


Commenting on members of same families contesting against each other during the elections, Pawar expressed annoyance over repeated questions on it.


He then asked, "Why was my close nephew fielded? Atram's own daughter was fielded against him, and even Rajendra Shingne faced a similar challenge. I don't want to comment further on this. I have got tired of apologising for fielding my wife against Supriya. Yugendra was in business, then why was he prepared to contest against me?"


In the Baramati assembly seat, Ajit Pawar was pitted against his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar.


In Aheri seat, NCP leader Dharamraobaba Atram's daughter Bhagyashree Atram contested against him on NCP (SP) ticket.

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