"Never Met": Aaditya Thackeray Reacts To Sushant Rajput Ex-Manager Murder FIR Naming Him

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday denied any link to the death of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's ex-manager Disha Salian, two days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named him in its FIR in the case from 2020.

"I have never met Disha Salian, nor did I have any acquaintance with her," Aaditya Thackeray said in a post on X to "cut through the noise and talk facts, once again".He added, "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 did not name anyone in this post. However, in the past he has accused the ruling BJP-led alliance of dragging him into the matter. Others named in the FIR have also denied any role.

"Let the official re-investigation proceed without malicious distractions and character assassination for political motives," Aaditya Thackeray added.

What Disha's Father Says

The CBI registered the FIR on Monday under sections of law pertaining to murder as well as criminal conspiracy, among others, officials said. This came on a Bombay High Court order after Disha Salian's father, Satish Salian, filed a petition alleging lapses by Mumbai Police in the investigation. He recorded his statement before the CBI. In it, he alleged that several people, including Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray, played a significant role in an alleged conspiracy and cover-up.

The FIR lists Aaditya Thackeray, actors Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi and Rhea Chakraborty, and the doctors and staff concerned with the delayed post-mortem among "people whose roles require investigation".

Disha Salian died in 2020 after a fall from an apartment building in Mumbai.

"The then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, father of Aaditya Thackeray, and others played a significant role in the conspiracy and subsequent cover-up," the FIR states, adding, "The concerned public servants and police officers are also liable to be investigated for destruction or suppression of case papers, files and other public records, fabrication of official records, and misuse of public funds, manpower and police machinery for unlawful purposes and for shielding the offenders."

Before registering the FIR, the agency wrote to Mumbai Police seeking all documents and records related to Salian's death.

High Court Order

The court pulled up the police for failing to register an FIR for six years. It said the investigation "raises more questions than answers" and pointed to "glaring discrepancies". The court also noted that Salian's family had not been given copies of the post-mortem report and the Accidental Death Report (ADR) six years after her death.

Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai's Malad area. Rajput was found dead at his Bandra flat days later. Police registered an ADR and, after an inquiry, said Salian died by suicide. Satish Salian filed a petition in the High Court last year alleging that his daughter was gang-raped and murdered.

Mystery Woman

A statement purportedly recorded from a police constable on duty at Shatabdi Hospital, where Salian was declared dead, says she was brought in by "two boys and a girl". The Bombay High Court's order refers to a supplementary statement by Salian's fiancé, Rohan Rai, which says her friends Himanshu Shikhare and Indraneel Vaidya took her to hospital.