Mumbai, Jul 12 (IANS): The Mumbai Police have summoned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh N. Rane for the probe into the death case of the celeb manager Disha Salian, here on Thursday.

The summons was sent by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the death of Salian, 28, who reportedly jumped from the 14th floor of the Galaxy Regent Building in the Malad suburb, on the night of June 8/9, 2020.

Her death case shot into prominence after Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra flat on June 14, 2020, sparking a nationwide political furore.

Rane, his father and ex-union minister Narayan Rane plus other BJP leaders have consistently alleged that Salian was murdered, but her family has refuted the same, saying they are satisfied with the Mumbai Police report which found nothing suspicious.

The BJP leaders have claimed that the two high-profile deaths are connected, that Salian was allegedly raped, and pointed fingers at a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, which was a constituent of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government at that time.

The Mumbai Police probed the Salian case, while the Rajput case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigations as it had multi-state ramifications with several other angles including narcotics emerging.

Reacting, Nitesh Rane said that he had received the summons while reiterating his earlier statement that (Salian’s) it was a murder case.

“I shall fully cooperate with the Mumbai Police… Whatever information I have on the matter, I am prepared to give it to the police. The MVA government was trying to cover up to save Aditya Thackeray,” claimed Rane Jr.

The Salian family had repeatedly issued several statements in the past urging for a stop to the rumour-mongering, her constant rumour mongering and character assassination and false narratives unleashed by vested political interests, while appealing to let “her (Disha) rest in peace”.

Her parents, Satish Salian and his wife Vasanti had even shot off a 5-page letter to the President, Prime Minister and Chief Minister in March 2022, in which they had labelled the Rane duo as ‘liars’, asking whether the father-son were above the law and were driving them (Salian couple) to suicide.