A Mumbai court granted Union minister Narayan Rane and his MLA son Nitesh Rane interim protection from arrest until March 10 in a case in which they are accused of making defamatory and misleading statements about Disha Salian, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s former manager.
Fearing arrest in the case, the duo filed an anticipatory bail application with a Dindoshi sessions court in suburban Malad through their lawyer, Satish Maneshinde.
As the matter came up for hearing, special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat sought time to file their reply.
The court asked the police not to arrest them till the next date of hearing. It then adjourned the hearing in the matter till March 10.
Meanwhile, Mumbai police are likely to record the statements of the Ranes in the case on Saturday.
Earlier Mumbai police have issued notices to the BJP minister and his son under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), asking that they appear for the recording of their statements.
According to the FIR filed by suburban Malvani police, the remarks were made by the Union minister on February 19 during a press conference in which his son was also present.
During the press conference, the minister made several claims about Salian’s death.
The FIR was filed in response to a complaint filed by Disha’s mother, Vasanti Salian, with the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission (MSWC) demanding action against Narayan Rane, Nitesh Rane, and others for defaming the Salian family on various media platforms.
On June 8, 2020, Salian allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a high-rise in suburban Malad, six days before Rajput (34) was found hanging at his apartment in suburban Bandra.
