SIT formed to probe Disha Salian’s death afresh

A senior officer from the Mumbai Police said that the team would initially go through the documents related to the case

MUMBAI: The Mumbai police, as directed by the state government, has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the Accidental Death Report (ADR) registered in connection with the June 2020 death of Disha Salian, the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The SIT team will once again go through the investigation conducted in the Salian case.

SIT formed to probe Disha Salian’s death afresh

“The SIT will be headed by Rajiv Jain, additional commissioner of police, north region, and will have Ajay Bansal, DCP Zone IX, and Malwani police station senior inspector Chimaji Adhav on it,” said a police officer. “While Jain will guide the investigators, Bansal will supervise the inquiry and Adhav, with his staff, will carry it out.”

A senior officer from the Mumbai Police said that the team would initially go through the documents related to the case. “We will speak to all the people who investigated the ADR and also, if required, speak to the forensic experts who carried out the post-mortem,” he said. “If required, and if we find any flaws, we will summon people and record statements.”

The Mumbai police had earlier closed the probe in the ADR, as no evidence of foul play was found. In December last year, however, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane and other ruling party legislators raised the issue again in the assembly’s winter session, demanding that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray be probed in the case. In response home minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an SIT and also appealed to the MLAs to hand over clinching evidence.

Incidentally, Disha Salian’s father, who has repeatedly said that he does not suspect any foul play in her death, was “completely satisfied” with the probe conducted by the Mumbai police, said an official.

Disha Salian, 28, fell to her death from a highrise in Malad on June 8, 2020. An ADR was registered at Malvani police station in the case. Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14.

Fadnavis confirmed the setting up of the SIT. “We had announced in the state assembly last year that the government would review all the additional information and proof received,” he said. “After having done so, the police department has been asked to take further steps.”

(Inputs from Surendra P Gangan)