Disha Salian's father sends ₹500-crore defamation notice to Aaditya Thackeray, Anil Deshmukh

Satish Salian, father of former celebrity manager Disha Salian, has issued a ₹500-crore defamation notice to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, over remarks made about him as he pursues a fresh investigation into his daughter's death.

The notice demands ₹500 crore in compensation, describing the statements as "false, malicious and defamatory allegations" and accusing the two leaders of portraying Mr. Salian's pursuit of justice as politically motivated and driven by ulterior motives.

In the notice, Mr. Salian refers to Mr. Thackeray being named as one of the principal offenders in an FIR complaint containing allegations of gang rape, murder, conspiracy and destruction or suppression of evidence. It states that Mr. Thackeray intervened in the proceedings and actively opposed Mr. Salian's petition seeking registration of an FIR and an independent investigation into those allegations.

Mr. Thackeray denied any connection with Disha Salian or her death. In a post on X on Wednesday, he said he had never met or known her, and called the linking of his name to the case a deliberate, evidence-free attempt at character assassination by a few individuals with clear political and personal motives, spanning almost six years.

The Central Bureau of Investigation registered a fresh FIR on September 14, following a Bombay High Court order on September 2 directing an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Salian's death.

Disha Salian, 28, who had managed the affairs of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died on June 8, 2020, after allegedly falling from a residential building in Mumbai's Malad. Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence six days later.

On Thursday, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray denied that his family had any connection with the case and warned of legal action if what he described as a campaign of character assassination continued.

"We have no connection with this case. Aaditya has also said so. This issue is not merely about me. Such character assassination can take place with you people too," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister told presspersons.

Mr. Uddhav said his party had remained quiet while a Special Investigation Team was probing the case. "Those who want to investigate can keep investigating. But enough of this pointless character assassination, or else we will initiate legal steps," he said.