Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has rejected allegations linking him to the death of Disha Salian, calling them an attempt to malign his reputation. He stated that he would respond to the claims in court.
His remarks followed a petition filed in the Bombay High Court by Satish Salian, father of Disha Salian, the former manager of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
The petition seeks a fresh investigation into her death and demands that an FIR be registered against Thackeray. It also requests that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
“Attempts have been made for the last five years to tarnish my image. We will present our side in court and respond to the allegations there,” Thackeray told reporters.
Disha Salian died on 8 June 2020, reportedly after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad, Mumbai.
The Mumbai police initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). Six days later, Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra apartment, in what was officially ruled a suicide.
The case has been the subject of political controversy, with BJP minister Nitesh Rane citing Supreme Court rulings and claiming that individuals facing rape allegations should be arrested.
He also called for Thackeray’s resignation as an MLA. “We have demanded this in the House (assembly),” Rane told reporters.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve, leader of the opposition in the legislative council, accused the BJP of orchestrating the allegations and said the government was free to investigate.
NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad questioned the timing of the allegations, asking why Disha Salian’s father had remained silent for five years. “This is purely political,” he said.
What Investigations Have Found
As the controversy reignited, Mumbai police reiterated that no evidence of foul play had been found in their investigations.
During the December 2023 Maharashtra Assembly session, BJP leader Nitesh Rane raised the issue, leading the Mahayuti government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under Additional Police Commissioner Rajiv Jain.
However, SIT sources told the media that despite issuing multiple summonses to those alleging foul play—including Salian’s family members and Rane—no one came forward to record statements, leading the probe to a standstill.
Mumbai police had closed the case in 2021, stating that neither their investigation nor the CBI’s probe into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death found any evidence of criminal involvement in Salian’s death.
Allegations on social media—including claims that she attended parties with politicians or was pregnant—were debunked through CCTV footage, post-mortem reports, and witness statements.
An officer involved in the investigation said Salian was distressed over financial losses on the night of her death. Friends at the party reportedly tried to console her.
The officer also dismissed claims that she was found without clothes, citing her father’s own statement from the scene.
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