Bollywood actor Sooraj Pancholi has taken to Instagram to address the controversy surrounding the death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The actor made the statement after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently registered an FIR in connection with Disha’s 2020 death, with several people, including Sooraj, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, Rohan Roy, Rhea Chakraborty and others, named in the FIR for investigation.
‘Never met Late Disha Salian in my life’
Taking to Instagram, Sooraj stated that while he was committed to cooperating with the CBI in its investigation, he has never met Disha Salian. He wrote, “I have decided to put this out because I feel it is important to put certain facts clearly in the public domain.”
The actor continued, “I have never met Late Disha Salian in my life, directly or indirectly. I have also never met Aditya Thackeray in my life! It is honestly very unfair and extremely upsetting to see my name being dragged into something that I have absolutely nothing to do with, especially when there is no evidence or proof connecting me to this matter.”
He added, “I have stayed quiet for a long time because I did not want to keep responding to every report or every story written about me. But when the same thing keeps happening again and again, there comes a point where you have to speak for yourself. Regarding this matter, I have already been investigated by the CBI /police and my statement was recorded by the agencies almost 4–5 years ago.”
‘I have nothing to hide’
He further noted, “I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE! If any investigating agency feels that they need to question me again or require any further information from me, I am completely willing to cooperate and make myself available for any investigation. All I am asking for is that the facts are checked before my name is dragged into something like this. I strongly support a fair and thorough CBI investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Late Disha Salian.”
“At the same time, I also believe that there should be an investigation into the malicious propaganda and false narratives being created around this unfortunate incident, because someone’s death should never become a reason to destroy another person’s reputation without evidence,” he added.
‘Verify things before forming an opinion’
He further wrote, “And to everyone who is reading this please don’t believe everything you see on the news or on social media! A headline is not evidence. A debate is not evidence. Someone saying something on television does not make it a fact.
Sooraj concluded his statement, “Please verify things before forming an opinion about someone’s life and character. Because behind every name being discussed on television is a real person, with a real family and a real life. I have stayed quiet for a long time, but I will not allow my name to be continuously dragged into something I have absolutely no connection with. I have faith in the law. I have faith in the investigating agencies. And I have faith that ultimately, the truth will come out. Let the facts speak. Let the investigation speak. Let the truth speak. Jai Hind.”
FIR in Disha Salian case
Disha Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, days before Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his residence. Her death had earlier been recorded as an Accidental Death Report (ADR). Nearly six years after her death, the CBI registered an FIR in the case following an order by the Bombay High Court directing the agency to conduct a probe.
The FIR lists several individuals, including Aaditya Thackeray, Rhea Chakraborty, Sooraj Pancholi, Dino Morea, Rohan Roy and others, whose roles are being investigated.
Advocate Nilesh Ojha, who is representing Disha’s father Satish Salian in the case, told ANI, “That FIR is for gang rape, murder, and a cover-up of this crime. This FIR has been registered under the main offences: Sections 376D, 302, 201, 217, 218, read with 120B of the IPC. The names involved in the FIR are Aaditya Thackeray, then Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi, Aaditya Thackeray’s bodyguard, Rohan Roy, Rhea Chakraborty, Param Bir Singh, then DCP Vishal Thakur, and the police officer who made false records, the PI of Malwani police station, and members of the SIT. Then the doctor Sanjay Yadav…. Then the chemical analyst of the forensic lab who changed the report of gang rape.”