Disha Salian defamation case: Mumbai court grants pre-arrest bail to Narayan Rane and son Nitesh

Salian's mother had filed a complaint alleging that minister Narayan Rane had made slanderous and misleading claims about Disha's death at a press conference on February 19, 2022, in the presence of his son. A case was registered against both father and son at Malvani police station.

Mumbai:An Additional Sessions court here on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Union minister Narayan Rane and son Nitesh Rane in an alleged case of making defamatory and misleading statements against Disha Salian, the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The Additional sessions Dindoshi court headed by Justice SU Baghele was hearing the matter wherein the pre arrest bail plea by the accused was accepted.

As informed by the police officials, Salian had allegedly committed suicide by jumping off a high-rise in suburban Malad on June 8, 2020. Six days after her death, actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found hanging in his flat in Bandra area here. Salian's mother had filed a complaint alleging that minister Narayan Rane had made slanderous and misleading claims about Disha's death at a press conference on February 19, 2022, in the presence of his son. A case was registered against Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane at Malvani police station here.

Fearing arrest in the matter, the father-son duo had sought anticipatory bail from the court. Their lawyer Satish Maneshinde on Tuesday argued in front of the court that both Narayan Rane and Nitesh Rane have become a "punching bag" for the Maharashtra government. 'Apart from a single statement, there is no other evidence, and several bogus cases have been registered against them elsewhere,' he had submitted. Referring to Ranes' visit to the police station earlier this month, Maneshinde said they were at the station from 1.45 pm to 10 pm. 'For such a complaint, a statement can be recorded in five minutes. It does not require eight to ten hours,' the lawyer argued.

Furthermore, Maneshinde also argued that Narayan Rane had only stated that the probe into Salian's death had not been carried out properly, and that he was seeking justice for her. 'This was not a case where custodial interrogation was necessary,' he opined.

Meanwhile, Special public prosecutor Ashoke Gharat had argued that police were going by fact and law and not by political rivalry. The prosecutor further argued that there was a through probe into Salian's death and her family was satisfied with it. 'Narayan Rane is an honorable Union Cabinet Minister, while Nitesh is an honorable MLA. They are not ordinary people, which is why they are also expected to talk with responsibility,' he added.

(With agency inputs)