Disha Salian's father sends ₹500 crore defamation notice to Aaditya Thackeray, Deshmukh
Synopsis
Six years after Disha Salian's death and days after the CBI named Aaditya Thackeray in its FIR, her father Satish Salian has escalated with a ₹500 crore defamation notice — accusing Thackeray and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of falsely painting him as a politically motivated litigant. The demand: a three-minute video apology broadcast across national media, within seven days.
Key Takeaways
Satish Salian , father of the late Disha Salian , has served a ₹500 crore defamation notice on Aaditya Thackeray and Anil Deshmukh .
The notice gives the two leaders seven days to issue an unconditional public apology, including a 3-minute video posted on their official social media accounts.
Disha Salian , 28 , died on 8 June 2020 in Mumbai's Malad area; police had treated it as an accidental death.
The CBI has now taken over the probe, and recently named Aaditya Thackeray in its FIR.
Thackeray denied any connection to Disha Salian in a post on X on Wednesday, calling the allegations a 'deliberate, evidence-free attempt at character assassination.' Anil Deshmukh had on 23 March 2025 allegedly called the case a 'conspiracy to defame Aaditya Thackeray.'
Satish Salian, father of the late Disha Salian — former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput — has served a ₹500 crore defamation notice on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, demanding a public apology and retraction of statements he says falsely cast him as a politically motivated litigant. The two leaders have been given seven days to comply.
What the Notice Alleges
The legal notice accuses Aaditya Thackeray of questioning Satish Salian's motives and attempting to portray his pursuit of justice as 'politically motivated, malicious, and actuated by an ulterior object' aimed at damaging Thackeray's reputation. The notice describes these allegations as 'false, baseless, reckless and grossly defamatory, having been made without any credible material or proof.'
Crucially, the notice also accuses Thackeray of 'falsely representing that the CBI had already investigated the Disha Salian case' and had given him a 'clean chit' — a claim, according to the notice, that was used to oppose Satish Salian's prayer for an independent probe and to portray his legal proceedings as 'unnecessary, frivolous and motivated.'
On 23 March 2025, Anil Deshmukh allegedly stated that the Disha Salian case was a 'conspiracy to defame Aaditya Thackeray.' The notice claims this statement received widespread publicity and portrayed Satish Salian as a 'dishonest, politically motivated and malicious litigant misusing the criminal justice system.'
What Satish Salian Is Demanding
Satish Salian has demanded an 'unconditional, unequivocal and unqualified written and public apology.' The notice stipulates that the apology be published and broadcast across major print, television, and digital media platforms. It also requires a video apology of at least three minutes, posted on the official social media accounts of both leaders.
Background: Disha Salian's Death and the CBI Probe
Disha Salian, 28, died on 8 June 2020 after falling from a high-rise residential building in Mumbai's Malad area. Police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR), treating the incident as an accidental death. Six days later, actor Sushant Singh Rajput died.
Initially, Satish Salian had said he did not suspect a criminal angle. He later approached the Bombay High Court seeking registration of an FIR and a fresh investigation, with the petition naming several individuals, including Aaditya Thackeray, Dino Morea, and Sooraj Pancholi. Six years after the incident, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the probe.
Thackeray's Denial
Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday categorically denied any link to Disha Salian, two days after the CBI named him in its FIR in the case. In a post on X, Thackeray said: 'I have never met Disha Salian, nor did I have any acquaintance with her.' He added that he wanted to 'cut through the noise and talk facts, once again.'
Thackeray further stated: '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 any individual in the post, though he has previously accused the ruling BJP-led alliance of dragging his name into the matter. Others named in the FIR have also denied any role.
With the CBI investigation now formally under way, all eyes will be on whether the probe surfaces evidence that resolves the conflicting accounts that have swirled around this case for half a decade.
Point of View
Coming days after the CBI named Thackeray in its FIR, is notable. The ₹500 crore quantum and the demand for a nationally broadcast apology signal that Satish Salian's legal team is playing for reputational stakes, not just monetary relief. What cuts through the political noise is a straightforward question that remains unanswered: if the CBI had genuinely cleared Thackeray in an earlier probe, why is he now named in a fresh FIR? The contradictions in the official narrative — an ADR that was later challenged, a court that admitted the petition, and an investigation that kept expanding — suggest institutional handling of this case will face sustained scrutiny regardless of political alignment.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Disha Salian's father sent a ₹500 crore defamation notice to Aaditya Thackeray and Anil Deshmukh?
Satish Salian alleges that Aaditya Thackeray publicly portrayed his legal pursuit of justice as politically motivated and malicious, and that Anil Deshmukh called the case a 'conspiracy to defame Thackeray.' The notice argues these statements damaged his credibility and falsely cast a grieving father as someone abusing the judicial process.
What is Satish Salian demanding through the notice?
He is demanding an unconditional, unequivocal, and public written apology, a retraction of the offending statements, and ₹500 crore in compensation. The apology must be published across major print, television, and digital platforms, and a video apology of at least three minutes must be posted on both leaders' official social media accounts — all within seven days.
How did Disha Salian die and why is the case still under investigation?
Disha Salian, 28, died on 8 June 2020 after falling from a high-rise in Mumbai's Malad area; police registered it as an accidental death. Her father later challenged this in the Bombay High Court, seeking an FIR and fresh probe. Six years on, the CBI has taken over the investigation.
What has Aaditya Thackeray said about his alleged connection to Disha Salian?
Thackeray denied any connection in a post on X on Wednesday, stating he had 'never met Disha Salian, nor did I have any acquaintance with her.' He called the repeated linking of his name to the case a 'deliberate, evidence-free attempt at character assassination' spanning almost six years.
What role is the CBI now playing in the Disha Salian case?
The CBI has formally taken over the investigation into Disha Salian's death and recently filed an FIR in which Aaditya Thackeray has been named. Others named in the FIR have also denied any involvement. The re-investigation is ongoing.
