Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Narayan Rane has alleged that Uddhav Thackeray requested him not to mention his son Aaditya Thackeray's name in connection with the death of Disha Salian.
Rane made these claims during a press conference on Saturday, where he criticised the handling of the investigation into Salian's death, which occurred in June 2020.
Rane stated that Uddhav Thackeray's personal assistant, now reportedly an MLA, contacted him during the COVID-19 pandemic, asking if he would be willing to speak with the then-chief minister.
Rane recalled that when he greeted Thackeray with "Jai Maharashtra," Thackeray responded with surprise, questioning his use of the phrase. Rane asserted that "Jai Maharashtra" was a tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, not a possession of Thackeray’s residence, Matoshri.
According to Rane, Uddhav Thackeray had twice requested him not to implicate his son Aaditya in the Disha Salian case. The BJP MP maintained that he had not specifically named anyone but had referred to a minister during his press conferences.
However, he demanded that an FIR be registered based on existing evidence and that Aaditya Thackeray be arrested if implicated.
The controversy surrounding Disha Salian's death has resurfaced following a petition by her father, Satish Salian, in the Bombay High Court.
He has requested a fresh investigation into the circumstances of his daughter's death, alleging that the initial probe was a politically motivated cover-up to shield influential individuals.
The plea also seeks the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Aaditya Thackeray and the transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Satish Salian's petition claims that his daughter was brutally raped and murdered, and that the police investigation lacked transparency. Initially trusting the police, he now believes that the inquiry was manipulated to protect certain figures.
Reacting to the legal development, Aaditya Thackeray expressed his confidence in the judicial process. He stated that many attempts had been made over the past five years to malign his reputation and that he would respond appropriately in court.
Disha Salian was the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, whose death in June 2020 also stirred significant controversy and speculation.
Both deaths were widely discussed and debated, leading to demands for thorough investigations.
The renewed plea by Salian’s father has once again brought the tragic case into the public and political spotlight.
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