"Attempt To Malign...": Aaditya Thackeray On Disha Salian's Father's Plea

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday rubbished calls for a police case to be filed against him, and an inquiry to be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation, over the death by suicide of celebrity manager Disha Salian at her flat in Mumbai in June 2020.

Mr Thackeray said the demand - made this week by her father, Satish Salian, who believes she was raped and murdered, and her death covered up by politicians - is an attempt to malign his image, an exercise in play for the past five years. "We will put forth our side... give our replies in court," he said.

Sena boss and ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray echoed his son's dismissal, saying, "I was surprised this issue had not been raised so far (in the ongoing Assembly session)... in every session it is raked up. We will represent our side in the court. There is no truth to this allegation."

On Wednesday Satish Salian moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh investigation into his daughter's death, as also a FIR against Aaditya Thackeray and others, and an inquiry by the CBI.

This is not the first time Mr Thackeray has found himself linked to Ms Salian's death; in December 2022 there were demands - by BJP leaders and those from Eknath Shinde's breakaway Sena faction - that he face a 'lie detector' test. The response then was pithy - "I don't give a dime..." he told NDTV.

What Disha Salian's Father Claims

In his petition, Mr Salian claimed his daughter had been raped and murdered, and that aspects of her death, as well as that of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, a client of hers who died six days later, had been covered up by prominent politicians such as Mr Thackeray.

Mr Salian has claimed high-profile political leaders, like Aaditya Thackeray and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, had pressured him into avoid implicating certain individuals.

He also claimed evidence had been fabricated to show his daughter had died by suicide.

READ | Disha Salian's Father Seeks CBI Probe Against Aaditya Thackeray

The reality, Mr Salian has argued, is that his daughter had been subject to "psychological manipulation" by associates of Mr Thackeray and Rohan Rai, Ms Salian's fiancée.

Mr Salian has pointed to the lack of bloodstains and injuries consistent with falling from the 14th floor of the apartment block - which, authorities have said, was how his daughter died.

These inconsistencies prompted the demand for Mr Thackeray to be questioned.

The Salian petition also notes a written complaint had been filed against the Shiv Sena leader in January last year. It claims no police case was filed after that, and a CBI inquiry was hushed.

Mr Rajput's father, KK Singh, has backed the Salian's probe demand. "I don't know his reasons... but what he did was right. We can get a conclusion... it will also shed light on Sushant's case."

"Attempt to Defame", Cries Sena

The allegations have triggered a spat between Mr Thackeray and the Shiv Sena and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut questioned the timing of the petition, claiming it is meant to draw attention from criticism of the BJP amid violent riots over Aurangzeb's grave in Nagpur.

READ | Shiv Sena Reacts To Disha Salian Father's Charge Against Aaditya Thackeray

"Some power is working behind the petitioner. A discussion is being created, leaving aside the Aurangzeb issue," he said, condemning attempts "to defame the Thackeray family".

Mr Raut's colleague, Ambadas Danve, also accused the BJP of conspiring to defame" Mr Thackeray. "We have no idea what Disha's father said, but Aaditya is a mature leader."

He has also been backed by Anil Deshmukh of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP group.

"He Will Go To Jail"

Across the aisle, Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane accused Mr Thackeray and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of trying to cover up the truth and warned it would come out.

He also demanded his resignation. "We have demanded this in the House..." he said.

Ms Salian died on June 8, 2020. She jumped off the 14th floor of a residential building in suburban Malad. Six days later Mr Rajput was found dead too, in his Bandra home.

READ | Aaditya Thackeray Will Go To Jail In Disha Salian "Murder": BJP Leader

The BJP has since repeatedly claimed both Ms Salian and Mr Rajput were murdered, and that the Uddhav Thackeray government, in power at the time, covered up Aaditya Thackeray's role.

With input from agencies

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.