In a fresh twist to the Disha Salian case, advocate Nilesh Ojha, representing her father Satish Salian, has claimed that Disha did not commit suicide, nor did she die accidentally. Instead, she was brutally murdered after being subjected to gang-rape by a politician, his friends and bodyguards.
Ojha stated that the closure report filed by the police in February 2021 was bogus, and that it has now withdrawn it and reopened the investigation.
Asked what evidence he had to back his allegation against this particular politician and his associates, Ojha replied that there were witnesses who were ready to testify before the court. “I am not disclosing the names of these witnesses lest they be harmed,” he said.
During a press conference, Ojha levelled serious allegations against a retired IPS officer and accused him of manipulating evidence to make the alleged murder appear as suicide. He alleged that in the past the same officer had projected the murder of a woman constable as suicide. He said this allegation was levelled by a retired assistant commissioner of police who refused to carry out the IPS officer’s order to make the murder of the constable seem like suicide. The lawyer further said another retired assistant commissioner of police, who belonged to the Dalit community, had filed a complaint against this IPS officer under the Atrocities Act, but till date no action has been taken against him.
Satish Salian, Disha’s father, has submitted a 75-page written complaint to Mumbai Police, urging a thorough investigation into the case. In the complaint, he accused several influential figures, including a former minister, of being involved in a conspiracy to suppress the crime.
Ojha expressed hope that Mumbai Police would register an FIR in the case soon. He also welcomed the government’s decision to form a Special Investigation Team to probe the case, but insisted that an FIR should be filed first, followed by an inquiry. He mentioned that they would present their demands before the court.
When pointed out that Satish Salian had five years ago insisted his daughter was not raped and murdered, Ojha said the distraught father was manipulated by certain political leaders and the police who wanted to shield the son of a leading politician.
Recently, the FPJ had asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis why Satish Salian was being made to run from pillar to post seeking justice for his late daughter, to which the CM replied that the father had refused to testify before the SIT appointed to probe Disha’s death. Asked about this, Ojha said the CM has been wrongly briefed by the police. He claimed that Salian had indeed recorded his statement before the SIT. Salian’s petition is scheduled for hearing in the high court on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Ojha said a defamation case will be filed shortly against those who were levelling allegations against Satish Salian and trying to set a false narrative with regard to the death of Disha. He said Satish Salian has been accused of having an affair with a woman and that he used to spend money given to him by Disha on this woman, and this had caused mental anguish to Disha who ended her life. This was a totally bogus charge and a defamation case claiming damages of Rs1 lakh crore would be filed soon against the persons concerned, he said.
The court fee for the litigation would be raised through crowd-funding. “If we win the case, 90% of the money would be given towards the Ladki Bahin scheme of the state government, 1% to Satish Salian and the rest to journalists who supported us in this fight,” Ojha added.
