Mumbai, Mar 19 (PTI): Satish Salian, father of Disha Salian, former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, on Wednesday said he has moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into the mysterious circumstances under which she was found dead in June 2020.
The petition urges the HC to order registration of a First Information Report against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and transfer of the probe to the CBI, he said.
A Sena (UBT) spokesperson, however, wondered why the matter was suddenly under the spotlight after four years, and suspected a conspiracy. Notably, the Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature is currently underway.
Satish Salian's lawyer Nilesh Ojha said they were still in the process of filing the petition, and would get it numbered at the HC registry department on Thursday.
The plea alleged that Disha Salian was brutally raped and murdered, and subsequently there was a politically-orchestrated cover-up to protect certain influential persons.
The petitioner initially believed that the probe conducted by the city police was genuine, but has now learnt that it was a cover-up, it said.
"The Mumbai police hastily closed the death as a case of suicide or accidental death without taking into account forensic evidence, circumstantial proof and eyewitness testimonies," the plea 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 was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14, 2020. While the city police initially said it was a case of suicide, the case was handed over to the CBI later.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar suspected a conspiracy behind Satish Salian's plea.
"Someone is behind it, and there is a conspiracy. How come this matter has come under the spotlight after more than four years? The CID conducted an enquiry, there is already an SIT (formed to probe the matter)," Pednekar said in her reaction.
BJP minister Nitesh Rane, on the other hand, latched on to the development to target Aaditya Thackeray, a former Maharashtra minister.
"Aaditya Thackeray should speak the truth. He should resign as an MLA and face the probe," Rane told reporters.
The Ranes and the Thackerays have been bitter enemies ever since Nitesh Rane's father and former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane left the Shiv Sena after falling out with Uddhav Thackeray.
Nitesh Rane, meanwhile, also reiterated his allegations that CCTV footage of Salian's building was made to disappear and pages of the society's visitors' register were torn off.
"I have been saying this from day one that Disha Salian was murdered," the minister for port development and fisheries said.
Yogesh Kadam, Minister of State in the Home department, said Salian's father should submit any proof that he has to the home department.
"We will follow whatever direction the High Court gives. There will be no party politics in the probe," he said.
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Hassan: In a tragic yet heroic incident, a pit bull named Bheema lost its life after bravely fighting a 12-foot-long cobra that entered a poultry farm in Kattaya village, Hassan district. The dog, known for its courage, tore the venomous snake into 11 pieces before succumbing to its injuries.
The cobra was spotted slithering into the farm owned by Shamanth Gowda. Upon noticing the threat, Bheema, along with another dog named Ruby, a female Doberman, immediately attacked the reptile to protect the farm's residents, including Gowda's family and laborers.
Eyewitnesses reported that Bheema displayed remarkable aggression and agility, grabbing the massive snake in its mouth and biting it repeatedly. The battle lasted for 40 minutes, during which the cobra inflicted a fatal bite on Bheema’s nose. Despite the venomous attack, the pit bull continued to fight until it finally tore the snake apart.
Shamanth Gowda revealed that this was not Bheema's first encounter with dangerous reptiles. "Fighting with snakes was not new for Bheema. He had killed around 15 poisonous snakes in our plantation before," he said.
A chilling video capturing the intense fight between the pit bull and the cobra has surfaced online, garnering widespread attention. The visuals show Bheema leaping at the snake and biting it repeatedly while Ruby assists in the attack.
Although Bheema lost its life, the dog successfully prevented a potentially fatal snake attack on the farm’s residents.