In a fresh development in the Disha Salian death case, Advocate Nilesh C Ojha, representing Disha’s father Satish Salian, has leveled serious allegations against former Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, labeling him an “accused” in the case.
Ojha also accused former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of shielding Thackeray and alleged that “corrupt” police officials attempted to cover up the case during the tenure of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government.
“During the murder, Uddhav Thackeray’s government was in power, and the accused was his son Aaditya Thackeray. Corrupt police officials tried to cover up the case. After 2.5 years, Shinde’s government came, and Fadnavis became the Home Minister. This matter has not surfaced suddenly,” Ojha told ANI.
Ojha clarified that the issue was not raised abruptly, citing legal proceedings dating back to 2023. He stated that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in September 2023, urging authorities to register an FIR and take action. Subsequently, the Maharashtra government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in December 2023, but no substantial progress was made.
“A written complaint was submitted on January 12, 2024, demanding the registration of an FIR for gang rape and murder against Aaditya Thackeray, Sooraj Pancholi, and others,” Ojha said.
He further claimed that conversations around the case made Disha Salian’s father realize he had been misled, prompting him to file a petition for a fresh investigation.
Ojha demanded strict action against police officials and SIT members for failing to register an FIR, citing Supreme Court guidelines on rape and murder cases.
“The Supreme Court has clearly stated that FIRs must be registered in rape and murder cases upon receiving a complaint. Otherwise, the responsible police officials must be penalized under relevant IPC sections. In this case, no FIR has been registered for over a year. This is a serious matter, and action must be taken against the SIT officials,” he asserted.
He also dismissed Aaditya Thackeray’s affidavit, which claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had given him a clean chit in the case, calling it a “lie.”
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has accused the BJP of using the case to target Aaditya Thackeray for political gains. Party leader Ambadas Danve alleged that the BJP was conspiring to “defame” Thackeray by putting undue pressure on him.
“This matter is in court, and we don’t know what Disha’s father has said. Aaditya Thackeray is a mature and young leader. The BJP is trying to malign his reputation, but we don’t need to respond to this conspiracy. The court will decide,” Danve told the media.
Similarly, Maharashtra’s former Home Minister and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh also claimed that recent developments in the case appeared to be part of a larger conspiracy.
Disha Salian, a celebrity manager, was found dead on June 8, 2020. The Mumbai Police initially registered an accidental death case. However, in 2023, a three-member SIT was formed to probe her death amid persistent claims of foul play.
With allegations and counter-allegations intensifying, the case continues to be a political and legal flashpoint in Maharashtra.
