NEW DELHI: A fresh plea in Disha Salian’s death, filed by her father Satish Salian in the Bombay high court, has resurrected the political storm in Maharashtra as the new petition sought action against ex-minister Aaditya Thackeray.
Salian’s father knocked on the doors of the high court alleging a cover-up by the Mumbai Police in the probe of Disha’s death case, which was closely followed by the alleged suicide of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput for whom she worked as a manager.
Satish Salian has expressed apprehension that Mumbai cops concluded Disha’s death as a case of suicide or accidental death without thoroughly considering forensic evidence, circumstantial proof, and eyewitness testimonies.
The Salian family claimed the probe, which they initially suspected to be genuine, was a cover-up.
In the petition, Disha’s family has urged the high court to direct the registration of an FIR against Aaditya Thackeray and to transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Salian family’s new legal recourse has blown up into a political hullabaloo, with the BJP leaders seeking action against Thackery and the Shiv Sena (UBT) netas dismissing the political rivals’ remarks as a “distraction” and an “attempt” to malign Aaditya’s image.
‘Uddhav govt suppressed the case’
BJP MLA Ameet Satam accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) government of “suppressing” the Disha Salian’s death case.
”Salian’s father has told the media that he suspects his daughter was gang-raped and murdered. He has filed a petition in the court. The previous MVA government suppressed the case. The then Mayor met him (Satish Salian), misled him, and pressurised him not to speak. He has said a minister in the previous MVA regime was involved. This is a serious allegation,” Satam said according to the news agency PTI.
“Powerful people and those born with silver spoons in their mouths should not be let off,” Satam said, without naming anyone and demanded that “those named should be arrested for custodial interrogation”.
Building on Satam’s charges, minister Nitesh Rane said that as per a Supreme Court judgement, a person against whom such allegations are made should be arrested immediately, and demanded to know whether “the former minister” will be arrested.
Opposition question timing
Thackeray family’s loyalist Sanjay Raut questioned the timing of the petition, saying the “discussion is being created around that petition” to douse off the Aurangzeb issue.
“I don’t know what is in the petition. But the time chosen for the petition is when the atmosphere in Maharashtra is heated over Aurangzeb. Some power is working behind the petitioner. All powers are behind them. Discussion is being created around that petition, leaving aside the Aurangzeb issue. There is no need to name the people who are behind this,” Raut told ANI.
Congress leader Bhai Jagtap also questioned the timing of the petition, however, he said it is the right of Disha’s father to approach the court.
“I don’t know much. It is his right, he (Disha Salian’s father) can go (to court) anytime. But my question is that if you feel that injustice has been done to you, if you feel that your case has not been presented properly, then there was an opportunity to appeal at that time; why did you not go at that time?” Jagtap told ANI.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) leader Rohit Pawar also attacked the BJP, accusing the party of politicising late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death for elections and claimed that the party would do politics over Disha Salian after her father sought a probe into her death.
Interestingly, Shiv Sena, which was part of Uddhav Sena before Eknath Shinde orchestrated a vertical split in 2022, appeared divided on the issue.
While Shiv Sena legislators on Thursday staged a silent protest in the Vidhan Bhavan demanding a CBI probe into the Disha Salian death, the party MLA Sanjay Gaikwad urged political parties to refrain from ‘politicising’ the matter, asserting that reports on the case indicate the absence of any political angle.
“The CID report shows that there isn’t a political angle in this case. The police do not have solid proof of murder or rape in this case. I request all political parties not to indulge in such dirty politics,” Gaikwad said.
‘Attempt to defame’
Aaditya Thackeray said on Thursday that there has been a continuous attempt to defame him for the last five years. Echoing Sanjay Raut’s claim, Aaditya Thackeray said the matter was intentionally raked up to divert the attention of the people from critical issues, especially after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said that Aurangzeb’s tomb is a not a relevant matter.
“Where is Maharashtra being taken in terms of crimes? Women atrocities, farmer suicides, farmers distress, the situation of Maharashtra is getting worse. “We have exposed the government on this and also on the Aurangzeb issue. A Minister had to resign (Dhananjay Munde resigned in connection with the Beed Sarpanch murder),” Thackeray said.
Salian’s lawyer defends plea timing
Advocate Nilesh C Ojha, representing Satish Salian, on Thursday made serious allegations against Aaditya Thackeray, referring to him as an “accused” in Disha’s case. Ojha claimed that former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was unwilling to take action against Thackeray. He also alleged that “corrupt” police officials attempted to cover up the case.
“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,” Ojha told ANI.
Ojha also clarified that the matter was not being raised “suddenly” and that the Shinde government had formed a State Investigation Team (SIT) in December 2023. A written complaint submitted in January 2024 also asked for an FIR to be registered.
“In September 2023, we filed a PIL, which also raised the issue of registering an FIR and taking action. The state government formed an SIT in December 2023. A written complaint was also submitted on January 12, 2024, which asked for an FIR to be registered for gang rape and murder against Aaditya Thackeray, Sooraj Pancholi and others,” he said. As this happened, Ojha said that Disha’s father approached him to file the petition.