“Attempts are being made for the last five years to malign my image. We will put forth our side in the court. We will give our replies (to the allegations) in the court,” Thackeray said, as quoted by PTI.
Satish Salian, father of the late celebrity manager Disha Salian, has urged the Bombay High Court to direct the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. He also requested the court to transfer her death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death in 2020.
Allegations of cover-up in Disha
Disha, former manager of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, passed away on June 8, 2020, after allegedly falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad, Mumbai.
Read more: Sushant Singh Rajput death case: SC dismisses Maharashtra’s appeal to reinstate LOCs against Rhea Chakraborty
The Mumbai Police had initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and concluded that it was a case of suicide or accidental death, reported PTI.
However, in his plea, Satish alleged that his daughter was sexually assaulted and murdered and that a cover-up was orchestrated to shield influential figures. According to his lawyer, Nilesh Ojha, they are in the process of filing the petition and expect it to be registered with the court by Thursday (March 20).
“The Mumbai Police hastily closed the death as a case of suicide or accidental death without taking into account forensic evidence, circumstantial proof and eyewitness testimonies,” the plea stated, as per PTI.
Read more: Sushant Singh Rajput’s father moves Delhi HC against refusal to stay film based on son’s life
The petition also claimed that Satish Salian initially believed the investigation was fair but later realised it was an attempt to suppress crucial evidence.
Political reactions and allegations of conspiracyÂ
The plea has sparked strong political reactions. Former Mumbai mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Kishori Pednekar questioned the timing of the case resurfacing, especially with the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly Budget Session.
“Someone is behind it, and there is a conspiracy. How come this matter has come under the spotlight after more than four years? The CID conducted an inquiry and there is already an SIT (formed to probe the matter),” Pednekar said.
Read more: Sushant Singh Rajput Death Anniversary: A timeline of probe into actor’s demise
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that attempts are being made to defame Aaditya by bringing his name in the case, calling it as “dirty politics”.
“They (BJP) failed to use the topic of Aurangzeb in Maharashtra, it backfired. Now, to get rid of it, they are fanning the Disha Salian case. This is politics, however, Maharashtra is getting defamed by such dirty politics. Attempts are being made to defame a young leader (Aaditya Thackeray), who is doing good work. It is an attempt to defame our party,” Raut told reporters on Thursday.
VIDEO | Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) says, “They (BJP) failed to use the topic of Aurangzeb in Maharashtra, it backfired. Now, to get rid of it, they are fanning the Disha Salian case. This is politics, however, Maharashtra is getting defamed by such dirty… pic.twitter.com/r43T8BOT72
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 20, 2025
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Nitesh Rane took the opportunity to target Aaditya, demanding that he step down as an MLA and cooperate with the investigation.
“Aaditya Thackeray should speak the truth. He should resign as an MLA and face the probe,” Rane said. He also repeated his claims that CCTV footage from the building was erased and pages from the visitor register were torn out.
“I have been saying this from day one that Disha Salian was murdered,” Rane reiterated.
Read more: Sushant Singh Rajput case: CBI awaits technical evidence from US on actor’s death
Maharashtra government’s stand on the matterÂ
Maharashtra Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, stated that Salian’s father should submit any evidence he has to the home department. He assured that the state government would act per the High Court’s directives.
“We will follow whatever direction the High Court gives. There will be no party politics in the probe,” Kadam said.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case is once again at the centre of political debate, reviving questions about the events of June 2020 and the handling of the investigation in the matter.
On the other hand, the father of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, KK Singh, said that whatever Disha’s father has done is right. “At least a conclusion will come out whether it was suicide or murder, and Sushant’s case will also come up and it will become clear what happened in it,” he said, adding that since the government has changed in Maharashtra, he has hopes from the current Chief Minister.
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: On Disha Salian death case, Actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s father, KK Singh, says, “…Whatever he (Disha’s father) has done is right; at least a conclusion will come out whether it was suicide or murder, and Sushant’s case will also come up and it will… pic.twitter.com/mpJcuefPCG
— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2025
(With agency inputs)Â
