Less than two weeks after sharing his first post, Sooraj Pancholi has once again issued a statement denying any connection with the late Disha Salian, former manager of Sushant Singh Rajput. His earlier post came after the names of MLA Aaditya Thackeray and actors Dino Morea and Rhea Chakraborty reportedly appeared in an FIR filed in connection with Disha Salian's death.
Reiterating that he had never met Disha Salian, Sooraj began his post by writing, "I am saying this one more time, and I have to repeat myself because clearly people still don't understand when I say this: I HAVE NEVER MET LATE DISHA SALIAN OR ADITYA THACKERAY EVER IN MY LIFE. Not once. Not directly. Not indirectly! And yet, the online abuse hasn't stopped. I have been called every possible name and have even received death threats, with people assuming that I must be scared. I am not scared."
He added that despite having no connection with the matter, his name had repeatedly been dragged into it.
"I have spent years watching my name being dragged into things I had absolutely nothing to do with. I have already lost years of my life, years I can never get back! And now, when I am finally trying to rebuild my life, my career, and my future, I refuse to stay silent and watch it happen all over again. If I was scared, I would have stayed quiet like many others. But I am doing the exact opposite! Because I clearly have nothing to hide or run away from! I am standing up for myself because I know that my heart is clean. At the end of the day, it is my name, my life and my future that have to live with."
Sooraj further said that he is ready to face legal consequences if any evidence links him to the matter.
He wrote, "If there is even one small piece of evidence or any involvement connecting me to this matter, I am willing to face whatever punishment the law decides, without any questions. But if the investigation by the investigating agencies establishes that I genuinely have nothing to do with it, then I request the investigating agencies and the so-called 'HONEST MEDIA' to please say that loud and clearly."
He also expressed disappointment over the way sections of the media had covered the matter.
"What is also extremely disheartening for me is watching the way some sections of the media are handling this. This may be entertainment or a dinnertime story for some people, but this is my life! Behind every headline, every accusation and every piece of speculation is a real human being who has to live with the consequences."
In the last slide of his post, Sooraj spoke about the impact the allegations and speculation had had on him. He wrote, "Because I am human too. I have feelings. I have a life. And I am finally trying to put that life back together. I am not asking for sympathy. I am not asking anyone to take my side. I am asking for transparency. I have nothing to hide. I honestly don't know what more I can do."
He continued, "I have cooperated. I have answered questions. I have made myself available. I have said clearly that I am ready to face any investigation. I am only asking for the truth to be told with all fairness."
Sooraj also shared a lengthy caption with the post, saying that he had wanted to speak about the matter earlier but was unable to do so after his Instagram account was blocked.
"This is something I wanted to post before my Instagram got blocked for reasons I still don't understand. But honestly, I have so much more to say. So much has happened, so much has been said about me, and there is so much sitting inside me that I want to speak about openly and from my heart."
He said he would be willing to address questions about the matter in detail if he was given what he described as the right platform.
"And I will. I will speak when the right time comes, and when someone gives me the right platform to do it. And when I say the right platform, I mean a proper, educated journalist or interviewer who is willing to sit across from me, look me in the eye, and ask me every single question directly, difficult questions, uncomfortable questions, all of them. I have no problem answering them."
He added, "All I ask is that it is done with composure, with facts, and with some basic understanding of journalism and humanity. Not someone hiding behind a camera, shouting questions, looking for a reaction or trying to turn someone's life into a spectacle. There is a lot I want to say. There are things I have stayed quiet about for years. There are things people have assumed, things that have been reported, and things that have never been asked of me directly."
Concluding his post, Sooraj said he intended to address the questions surrounding him when he got an appropriate opportunity.
"When I finally get the right opportunity, I will answer them. Every question. Directly. Honestly. Without fear. Because there is so much more to this story than what people have seen or been told. And when I speak, I want to speak properly with nothing held back and with the truth being given the space it deserves," wrote Sooraj.
Disha Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling off the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai's Malad area.
Also Read: 'Never Met Disha Salian': Sooraj Pancholi Calls Out 'False Narratives' Amid CBI Probe
