Disha Salian’s Father Serves ₹500-Crore Defamation Notice To Aaditya Thackeray

The father of late celebrity manager Disha Salian, Satish Salian, on Saturday served a ₹500-crore defamation notice on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the investigation into his daughter’s death.

Satish Salian arrived at Matoshree, the Mumbai residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, at around 4 pm along with his legal team led by advocate Nilesh Ojha. The notice concerns statements that Salian’s side has described as defamatory and related to allegations of political motives behind the renewed investigation into Disha Salian’s death.

₹500-Crore Compensation Sought

According to reports, the legal notice seeks an apology and ₹500 crore in compensation and damages. It gives Aaditya Thackeray seven days to withdraw the disputed statements, apologise and comply with the demands.

The notice reportedly objects to statements made by Thackeray on his official X account on September 16, in which he had rejected allegations linking him to Disha Salian’s death and questioned the motives behind the renewed campaign surrounding the case.

Notice Served Outside Matoshree

A large police presence was deployed outside Matoshree as Satish Salian and his lawyers arrived. A sizeable media contingent and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers were also present.

Reports said Aaditya Thackeray’s legal representatives accepted the notice. The development led to heightened activity outside the Thackeray residence as the two sides exchanged allegations over the legal and political dimensions of the case.

Salian’s lawyer Nilesh Ojha said the legal action was also connected to allegations that members of the legal team had faced threats. Ojha said Salian wanted to demonstrate that the legal process would continue despite such allegations.

Aaditya Thackeray Denies Allegations

Aaditya Thackeray has denied knowing or having met Disha Salian and rejected attempts to link him to her death.

In his recent statements, Thackeray described the allegations as an attempt at “character assassination” and said the investigation should proceed on the basis of facts rather than political claims.

The legal notice has now added another dimension to the dispute, with the matter potentially moving into a separate defamation proceeding.

What Is The Disha Salian Case?

Disha Salian, who had worked as a celebrity manager and was associated with actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from a high-rise building in Mumbai.

Her death was initially treated as an accidental death. However, her father later raised allegations and sought a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

The Bombay High Court subsequently directed the CBI to investigate the circumstances of the death. The agency later registered an FIR, leading to renewed scrutiny of the case.

The investigation remains ongoing, and allegations made by different parties have not by themselves established criminal liability. The CBI probe is expected to examine the available evidence and the circumstances surrounding Disha Salian’s death.