Mumbai: Satish Salian, father of former celebrity manager Disha Salian, on Tuesday submitted a complaint to the Joint Commissioner of Police demanding registration of a case against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray and others in connection with his daughter’s death in 2020.
Salian visited the office of the joint commissioner of police (crime) in south Mumbai accompanied by his lawyer, days after he moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of his daughter and former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020.
The HC petition stated that “Disha was raped and murdered, and there was a politically-orchestrated cover-up to protect certain influential persons”.
In his plea, Satish Salian alleged that Disha Salian was brutally raped and murdered. While he initially believed the probe conducted by the police was genuine, he later learnt of a politically orchestrated cover-up to protect certain influential persons, reported PTI.
“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 report quoted the plea.
Speaking on the allegations against Aditya Thackeray, Satish Salian’s lawyer, Nilesh C Ojha, told ANI, “During the murder, Uddhav Thackeray’s government was there (in Maharashtra), and the accused was his son Aaditya Thackeray. The corrupt police officials tried to cover up the case. After 2.5 years, Shinde’s government came, and Fadnavis was the Home Minister. This matter has not come all of a sudden.”
He further added, “On 12th January 2024, a written complaint was filed accusing Aaditya Thackeray, Suraj Pancholi and others of gang rape. FIR was not registered for more than one year. The affidavit filed by Aaditya Thackeray stated lies that he was given a clean chit by the CBI in the case. There is also proof that Anil Deshmukh didn’t want any action (on Aaditya Thackeray).”
Disha Salian died after falling from the 14th floor of a building in suburban Malad on June 8, 2020. The city police termed it as an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case. The following week, Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his apartment in Bandra on June 14, 2020. The city police called it a case of suicide initially. The case was handed over to CBI later.
Reacting to Satish Salian’s plea, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Kishori Pednekar called it a “conspiracy.”
“Someone is behind it, and there is a conspiracy. How come this matter come under the spotlight after more than four years? The CID conducted an enquiry, there is already an SIT (formed to probe the matter),” Pednekar told PTI.
The BJP called out Aaditya Thackeray and asked him to speak the truth.
“Aaditya Thackeray should speak the truth. He should resign as an MLA and face the probe,” BJP minister Nitesh Rane told PTI.
Rane also alleged that Disha Salian was murdered.
“I have been saying this from day one that Disha Salian was murdered,” Rane said.
Meanwhile, Yogesh Kadam, Minister of State in the Home Department, asked Satish Salian to submit related proofs to the Home Department.
“We will follow whatever direction the High Court gives. There will be no party politics in the probe,” Kadam told PTI.
