Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday said he had “never met” Disha Salian and described attempts to link his name to her death as “character assassination”, news agency ANI reported.
His remarks came after the CBI registered an FIR in connection with the 2020 case.
Taking to X, Thackeray said his name had been repeatedly linked to the case and alleged that the attempts were a deliberate, evidence-free effort to damage his reputation.
“Let’s cut through the noise and talk facts, once again: 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 by a few individuals with clear political and personal motives, for almost 6 years,” he said.
Thackeray also alleged that a continued campaign against him should not affect the investigation, saying media debates and “media trials” could not change the facts.
“The relentless smear campaign run by vested interests without a single shred of evidence and truth is highly unfortunate. Loud TV debates and media trials do not change the facts. Let the official re-investigation proceed without malicious distractions and character assassination for political motives,” he said.
In another post, Thackeray reiterated that he had never met Salian or had any acquaintance with her. He alleged that some people had deliberately tried to link his name to the case for political and personal reasons despite there being no evidence or connection.
“I have never met Disha Salian, nor did I have any acquaintance with her. For political motives, out of personal enmity, with the intent of character assassination, for the past 6 years, some people have been deliberately trying to link my name to this unfortunate incident repeatedly, despite there being no evidence or connection whatsoever,” he said.
He called for the fresh inquiry to be conducted without political intervention or interference and in an impartial manner.
The CBI on Monday, September 14, registered an FIR in connection with Salian's death following a direction from the Bombay High Court for a thorough probe into the case.
According to ANI, advocate Nilesh Ojha, who represents Salian's father Satish Salian, said the FIR registered by the CBI includes the names of Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray, Rohan Roy, Rhea Chakraborty, Param Bir Singh, among others, as well as Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi, then DCP Vishal Thakur, the police inspector of Malwani police station, members of the SIT, a doctor and a chemical analyst.
Salian, who had worked as Sushant Singh Rajput’s manager, died in Mumbai in June 2020 after falling from a building. Her death was initially recorded as an accidental death case. The CBI is now carrying out a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
(With inputs from ANI)