Disha Salian case: Supriya Sule questions CBI FIR, alleges misuse of central agencies

NCP SP leader Supriya Sule on Monday described the Central Bureau of Investigations registration of an FIR in the death case of Disha Salian former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput as surprising and claimed that the incumbent government had earlier closed the caseSule however avoided giving a direct response when asked whether she believed the latest development could be part of a political conspiracy She said anything is possible and alleged that central investigative agencies had been misused against political opponentsSule questions CBIs decision to register FIRSpeaking to reporters in Pune after offering prayers at the Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal the Baramati MP said she would speak to Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut to understand the latest developments in the caseI was surprised to hear how this registration of an FIR by CBI happened because it is the same government that had closed the case I do not understand what is happening Sule saidAsked whether she viewed the development as a possible political conspiracy Sule referred to what she called ICE mdash Income Tax CBI and Enforcement Directorate mdash and alleged that these agencies had been used against people who were subsequently inducted into the ruling partyAnything is possible You will remember ICE Income Tax CBI and ED These agencies were used against people and then those people were taken into their own party So anything can happen in the government nowadays she addedHigh court ordered CBI investigationSules remarks came a day after officials said the CBI had registered an FIR in connection with Disha Salians death The agency did not name any accused in the FIR in compliance with directions issued by the Bombay High CourtOn September 2 the Bombay High Court ordered a CBI investigation into Salians death while criticising the Mumbai Police for failing to register an FIR for six years The court observed that the local police investigation raises more questions than answersThe CBI registered the FIR on September 13 and invoked provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy gang rape murder disappearance of evidence and public servants allegedly disobeying the law or framing incorrect records to protect offendersThe High Courts division bench of Justices Sarang V Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale had also observed that the investigation could not continue indefinitely The bench highlighted glaring discrepancies in the initial probe and criticised the local police for treating the matter solely as an accidental death for several yearsSalian died days before RajputDisha Salian died on June 8 2020 after falling from the 12th floor of a residential building in Mumbais Malad area Six days later on June 14 Rajput was found dead at his apartment in BandraRajputs death triggered widespread public attention and eventually led to a separate CBI investigation The agency later submitted a closure report in that case concluding that Rajput had died by suicide The report remains pending before the competent courtWhile directing Mumbai Police to transfer all documents related to Salians death to the CBI the High Court instructed the central agency not to name anyone as an accused at this stageNobody shall be treated as an accused unless in the opinion of the investigating officer there are sufficient grounds to raise reasonable suspicion against him depending on the material collected during the investigation the bench had statedSule comments on election transparencyDuring her interaction with reporters Sule also responded to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumars remarks that Indias electoral process was the most transparent in the worldThat is what he feels In a strong democracy everyone has the right to speak I have experienced that myself she saidAsked about Union Home Minister Amit Shahs statement that the BJP would engage in dialogue with Gen Z Sule described it as an internal matter of the partyBRICS remarks and farmers concernsSule also commented on the BRICS Summit and the discussions held during the meeting saying there was no official statement yet detailing what had been discussedNo official statement has been issued yet on the details of what was discussed at the BRICS Summit So let the government first issue a statement and then we will comment on it the NCP SP leader addedShe also highlighted the difficulties faced by farmers while speaking about the Ganesh festival which began on MondayWith inputs from PTI