Maha Council adjourned multiple times as ruling BJP creates uproar seeking SIT probe in Disha Salian death case

The Maharashtra Legislative Council witnessed multiple adjournments on Thursday as the ruling BJP legislators created a ruckus to demand setting up of a Special Investigation Team SIT to probe the death of Disha Salian, the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.According to police, Salian 28 allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a high-rise building in Malad area of Mumbai on June 8, 2020.

The Maharashtra Legislative Council witnessed multiple adjournments on Thursday as the ruling BJP legislators created a ruckus to demand setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of Disha Salian, the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

According to police, Salian (28) allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a high-rise building in Malad area of Mumbai on June 8, 2020. Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area on June 14, 2020. Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded a probe into Salian's death as they apparently targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and former minister Aaditya Thackeray.

On Wednesday, Rahul Shewale, a Lok Sabha member from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena camp, had suggested the government take steps to stop sale of certain cough syrups that are being sold without a doctor's prescription. Flagging the issue of alleged suicide of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, he asked ''What is the status of CBI inquiry'' on his death. He was speaking in Parliament.

As BJP leader Pravin Darekar tried to raise the same issue in the state Council, Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe rejected his point of information saying, ''The Lok Sabha issue cannot be discussed in this House. I am not allowing such unimportant issues to be discussed here.'' Her comments irked the BJP legislators who started raising slogans and demanded that an SIT be formed to probe the matter. Gorhe then adjourned the House for five minutes. Later, after the proceedings resumed, she adjourned it for one hour as the ruckus continued.

When the business started again, the BJP legislators continued to raise their demand for the SIT. Gorhe then adjourned the house for another half an hour around 2.25 pm. After some time, it saw one more adjournment on the issue.

Meanwhile, state Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai tabled the Lokayukta Bill on the lines of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, which aims to bring the chief minister as well as other ministers under its ambit.

Earlier in the day, the council was adjourned for 15 minutes as members of the opposition protested over BJP member Gopichand Padalkar's comment.

During the calling attention motion on the damage to orange crop, a member of the opposition rose to speak on the issue. However, MLC Padalkar told him in Marathi, ''Tu khali bas (You sit down)''.

Agitated over his comment, Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve, MLCs Anil Parad, Manisha Kayande and others rushed to the Well of the House and protested. The House was then adjourned for 15 minutes.

When the business resumed, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said such comments were not good and he would speak to Padalkar to maintain decorum.