The political battle in Maharashtra has intensified over the Disha Salian death case, with the Opposition accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to tarnish Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s image.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was using the case to defame Aaditya Thackeray by exerting undue pressure on him.
“I believe this matter is now in court. We are unaware of what Disha’s father has said, but Aaditya Thackeray is a young and mature leader. The BJP is conspiring against him, and we don’t need to respond to this politically motivated attack. The court will give the answer,” Danve told the media.
The controversy erupted after Disha Salian’s father approached the Bombay High Court, seeking a CBI investigation and an FIR against Aaditya Thackeray concerning his daughter’s death.
Maharashtra’s former Home Minister and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh also questioned the timing of these developments, suggesting a larger political agenda at play.
“I am gathering details about the plea filed by Disha Salian’s father. From what I see, this looks like a well-planned conspiracy,” Deshmukh stated.
Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra MoS Home, Yogesh Kadam, reiterated that the state government would abide by the court’s directives.
“The honorable court’s orders will be followed,” Kadam said.
Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant urged politicians to refrain from exploiting the case for electoral gains.
“Disha Salian’s father has filed the petition, and it is their internal matter. It is inappropriate to turn this into a political blame game,” Samant remarked.
Shiv Sena MLA Manisha Kayande acknowledged that this was the first time Salian’s family had moved the court and called for an impartial probe.
“Disha Salian’s family never approached the court before. This is the first time they have done so. Whether it was suicide or a conspiracy—this is the real question. We demand a free and fair investigation,” Kayande said.
Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar accused the BJP of using the deaths of Disha Salian and Sushant Singh Rajput for electoral benefits.
“If someone is seeking justice, they should get it. But we have seen how the BJP used Sushant Singh Rajput’s death for the Bihar elections and later moved on. Now, with elections approaching, they are raising the Disha Salian case again,” Pawar alleged.
Adding another dimension to the case, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s father, KK Singh, backed the PIL filed by Disha Salian’s father. He expressed hope that the legal move would help uncover the truth behind both deaths.
“I don’t know his reasons for moving the court, but what he has done is right. If this leads to clarity on whether it was suicide or murder, it might also reveal the truth about Sushant’s case,” KK Singh told ANI.
Disha Salian, a celebrity manager, was found dead on June 8, 2020. In 2023, the Mumbai Police formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to reinvestigate her death, which was initially classified as an accidental death.
Six days later, on June 14, 2020, Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra residence, triggering a massive controversy. His case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and his postmortem report cited asphyxia as the cause of death.
With the legal battle now unfolding in court, the political debate over these high-profile deaths continues to escalate.
