Aaditya Thackeray Silent Amid Disha Salian Death Case Accusations

Mumbai, Jul 3 (PTI): Aaditya Thackeray, a leading figure in Shiv Sena (UBT), has opted for silence despite the opposition efforts to link him to the Disha Salian death case. On Thursday, he declined to comment on a police affidavit that dismissed any allegations of foul play in the death of the former celebrity manager, viewing it as another attempt to tarnish his image.

His political rival, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane, maintained that justice for Salian is still pending, stating, “picture abhi baaki hai” or “the film is not over yet.”

Disha Salian tragically died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a building in Mumbai's Malad area. An Accidental Death Report (ADR) was filed at the time by the city police. According to a recent affidavit submitted by the Mumbai police to the Bombay High Court, Salian committed suicide, and there were no signs of foul play. The affidavit notes that Salian leapt from the flat window willingly, with no evidence of sexual or physical assault. It further explained that she was under significant mental stress due to personal and business disputes.

However, Salian’s father, Satish Salian, filed a petition in March this year, seeking a CBI investigation and an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray. The petition accused influential individuals of orchestrating a cover-up, alleging that "Disha was raped and murdered."

When questioned on the Vidhan Bhavan premises about the police affidavit’s findings, Thackeray responded, "For the last five years, certain individuals have tried to tarnish my image. I never responded to them at that time and I will not respond now either." This was in reference to the ongoing targeting by political opponents.

Minister Nitesh Rane commented on the affidavit, emphasizing that the case remains active in court, with a pending hearing on July 16. He noted that Satish Salian has contested the SIT's June 17 affidavit, arguing that the court's observations should not be seen out of context and stating that Disha's father's allegations are grave.

Rane dismissed allegations that the accusations against Thackeray were politically driven, highlighting that Disha Salian's father named Aaditya Thackeray specifically. He also responded to calls for an apology from Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut by reiterating his commitment to seeking justice for Salian. Following Satish Salian's March petition, Rane called for Thackeray's resignation.

Using a popular film phrase, the BJP politician reinforced, "Picture abhi baaki hai...Disha Salian will get justice." He welcomed the defamation complaint filed by Thackeray, urging that the truth should surface in court. Rane also pointed out that Thackeray's affidavit portrayed him as a social worker and industrialist but omitted his status as a sitting MLA, suggesting there is a related petition against him for this omission.