Aaditya Thackeray, the son of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, fired back at the Central Bureau of Investigation’s freshly lodged information report that accuses him of involvement in the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian. The complaint, filed by Salian’s father Satish, alleges gang‑rape, murder and a deliberate cover‑up that allegedly implicates the Thackeray family.
But the death had been ruled a suicide by Malwani police and later confirmed by a Special Investigation Team set up in December 2023; neither investigation found any foul play. The new FIR, however, hinges on the father’s testimony that “Uddhav Thackeray and others played a significant role in a conspiracy and subsequent cover‑up.”
In a terse statement on X, Thackeray said, “I have never met or known Disha Salian. Linking my name to this tragic case constantly is a deliberate, evidence‑free attempt at character assassination.” He further warned that political rivals were using the case to smear him for “almost six years.”
The Bombay High Court’s ruling on September 2 cleared the way for the CBI to register the FIR, a move that the Shiv Sena (UBT) says is driven by vested interests. Thackeray urged the authorities to let the official re‑investigation proceed without malicious distractions.
The CBI has now taken the FIR into account for its ongoing inquiry; the next hearing of the case is scheduled for the coming weeks, during which the court will assess the admissibility of the allegations.