Will those named by Disha Salian's father be arrested, BJP MLAs ask in Maharashtra assembly

Mumbai: MLAs of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance on Thursday raised the Disha Salian death controversy in the Maharashtra assembly, seeking to know whether the persons named by her father, who has moved the High Court, will be arrested.

A day after Disha's father Satish Salian demanded a fresh probe in her death, the issue was raised by Ameet Satam (BJP) in the lower house.

Disha Salian, former manager of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died or was killed on June 8, 2020, MLA Satam said.

"Police termed the death as suicide, and no further action was taken. An SIT was formed in December 2022, but no report has been submitted as yet. But social media is full of speculation about whether a party was going on when she died, whether she was killed,'' he said.

''Salian's father has told the media that he suspects his daughter was gang-raped and murdered. He has filed a petition in the court. The previous MVA government suppressed the case. The then Mayor met him (Satish Salian), misled him, and pressurized him not to speak. He has said a minister in the previous MVA regime was involved. This is a serious allegation,'' Satam added.

Satish Salian, notably, had said his petition in the High Court demands registration of an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, who was a minister in the MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray when Disha died.

"Powerful people and those born with silver spoons in their mouths should not be let off,'' Satam said, without naming anyone.

He sought to know what the special investigation team formed by the previous Mahayuti government had been doing. Will it interrogate the persons named by Satish Salian, the BJP MLA asked.

"Those named should be arrested for custodial interrogation,'' he demanded.

Khotkar said the case should be investigated thoroughly.

Minister Nitesh Rane said that as per a Supreme Court judgement, a person against whom such allegations are made should be arrested immediately, and demanded to know whether "the former minister" will be arrested.

Shambhuraj Desai supported Rane, saying law cannot be different for common man and the powerful people, demanding arrest of those named by Satish Salian.

Satam sought to know when the SIT probe will be completed.

Shouting slogans, MLAs of the ruling alliance members entered the Well of the House. Speaker Rahul Narwekar then adjourned the house for ten minutes.

After the house reassembled, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said the SIT probe was still going on, and Salian's father has made the state government a party to his petition.

''We will act as per the court orders. Those who are guilty, no matter how powerful they are, will not be spared. Law is same for all,'' he said.

Disha Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling off the 14th floor of a residential building in suburban Malad. The city police had then registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case. Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput allegedly committed suicide in his apartment in suburban Bandra six days later.