A Mumbai court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Union Minister Narayan Rane and his son BJP MLA Nitesh Rane in an FIR on charges of spreading misinformation about late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s manager Disha Salian.
Additional sessions judge S.U. Baghele allowed their pre–arrest bail on furnishing a PR bond of ₹15,000 each. The court said, “The court fails to understand primafacie as to how certain Sections are invoked and added by the police on the strength of the allegations levelled.”
On February 19, the Ranes held a press conference in which they allegedly made misleading and defamatory statements against Disha who allegedly committed suicide on June 8, 2020 — six days after the actor was found dead in his flat.
Soon after the press conference, Disha’s family filed an FIR against the duo at Malvani police station under Sections 211 (false charge of offence made with intent to injure), 500 (defamation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 506 II (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections of the Information Technology Act.
Disha’a mother Vasanti Salian had also approached the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission demanding action against the Ranes.
Earlier this month, a Mumbai court had granted them interim protection from arrest till March 10. They had then approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the FIR.
