Aaditya Thackeray Denies Any Link To Disha Salian After CBI Names Him In FIR
Aaditya Thackeray has denied any connection to Disha Salian's 2020 death after the CBI named him in a murder FIR in the case.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has denied any connection to the death of Disha Salian, the former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, after the Central Bureau of Investigation named him in an FIR in the 2020 case.
In a post on X, Thackeray said he had never met Salian and had no acquaintance with her. He said linking his name to the case repeatedly amounted to a deliberate, evidence-free attempt at character assassination by a few individuals with political and personal motives, spanning almost six years. He did not name anyone in the post, though he has previously accused the ruling BJP-led alliance of dragging him into the matter. Others named in the FIR have also denied any role.
"Let the official re-investigation proceed without malicious distractions and character assassination for political motives," he said.
CBI FIR and the father's allegations
The CBI registered the FIR on Monday under provisions relating to murder and criminal conspiracy, among others. The move followed a Bombay High Court order on a petition by Salian's father, Satish Salian, who alleged lapses by Mumbai Police in the investigation. He recorded his statement before the CBI, alleging that several people, including Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray, played a significant role in an alleged conspiracy and cover-up.
The FIR lists Aaditya Thackeray, actors Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi and Rhea Chakraborty, and the doctors and staff involved in the delayed post-mortem among those whose roles require investigation. It states that the then chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray, and others played a significant role in the conspiracy and subsequent cover-up, and that public servants and police officers concerned are liable to be investigated for destruction or suppression of case papers and records, fabrication of official records, and misuse of public funds, manpower and police machinery. Before registering the FIR, the agency sought all documents and records related to Salian's death from Mumbai Police.
High Court observations
The court pulled up the police for failing to register an FIR for six years, saying the investigation raised more questions than answers and pointing to glaring discrepancies. It also noted that Salian's family had not been given copies of the post-mortem report and the Accidental Death Report six years after her death.
Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai's Malad area. Rajput was found dead at his Bandra flat days later. Police registered an ADR and, after an inquiry, said Salian died by suicide. Satish Salian filed a petition in the High Court last year alleging that his daughter was gang-raped and murdered.
A statement purportedly recorded from a police constable on duty at Shatabdi Hospital, where Salian was declared dead, says she was brought in by two boys and a girl. The High Court's order refers to a supplementary statement by Salian's fiancé, Rohan Rai, which says her friends Himanshu Shikhare and Indraneel Vaidya took her to hospital.