The notice alleges that remarks by Thackeray and Deshmukh damaged Salian’s reputation by portraying him as a political tool and a litigant pursuing the case for ulterior motives.
BY PC Bureau
September 17, 2026: A fresh legal battle has erupted in the Disha Salian case, with her father, Satish Salian, serving a ₹500-crore defamation notice on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of the NCP (SP).
The notice accuses the two politicians of portraying Salian’s efforts to seek a fresh investigation into his daughter’s death as politically motivated, thereby damaging his reputation and credibility.
How the Case Began
Disha Salian, 28, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from a high-rise building in Mumbai’s Malad area. Police initially treated the death as accidental and registered an Accidental Death Report. Actor Sushant Singh Rajput, for whom Salian had worked as a manager, died six days later.
Satish Salian initially said he did not suspect foul play. He later approached the Bombay High Court seeking registration of an FIR and a fresh investigation, raising allegations concerning the circumstances of his daughter’s death and naming several individuals, including Aaditya Thackeray, Dino Morea and Sooraj Pancholi.
Following a Bombay High Court order, the CBI registered an FIR in September 2026 and began a fresh investigation. The FIR covers allegations including criminal conspiracy, murder, gang rape, disappearance of evidence and the alleged creation of incorrect records by public servants.
READ: US Clears Russia Sanctions Bill, India Faces 100% Tariff Risk
What the Defamation Notice Says
According to the notice, Thackeray questioned Satish Salian’s motives and described his campaign as “politically motivated, malicious, and actuated by an ulterior object”.
The notice calls those remarks false and defamatory, arguing that they portrayed a grieving father seeking a lawful investigation as someone misusing the judicial process for political purposes.
It also alleges that Thackeray claimed the CBI had already investigated the matter and given him a clean chit, and that Satish Salian was being “used as a tool to harass” him. The notice says Deshmukh echoed that position.
It refers to remarks allegedly made by Deshmukh on March 23, 2025, describing the Disha Salian case as a “conspiracy to defame Aaditya Thackeray”.
Satish Salian’s notice says such statements were widely publicised and damaged his reputation by portraying him as a politically motivated litigant.
What Salian Is Demanding
Apart from ₹500 crore in damages, Salian has sought an unconditional and public apology from both leaders.
The notice demands that the apology be published and broadcast through major newspapers, television channels and digital platforms. It also seeks video apologies of at least three minutes on the official social-media accounts of Thackeray and Deshmukh.
Thackeray Rejects Link to Disha
Thackeray has denied having any connection with Disha Salian.
After the CBI registered the FIR, he said on X that he had never met or known her and described the repeated linking of his name to the case as an “evidence-free” attempt at character assassination.
He has also said that the investigation should proceed without what he described as political character assassination.
Let’s cut through the noise and talk facts, once again: I have never met or known Disha Salian.
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…— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) September 16, 2026
Where the CBI Probe Stands
The CBI has registered the FIR pursuant to the Bombay High Court’s directions. Aaditya Thackeray, Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi and Rhea Chakraborty, among others, are mentioned as persons whose roles require investigation.
Importantly, the CBI has clarified that the FIR does not name any individual as an accused at this stage. Their roles are to be examined as part of the investigation.
The fresh probe is expected to examine the original police records, statements of witnesses and officials, forensic and post-mortem material and other evidence surrounding Disha Salian’s death.
The ₹500-crore notice now adds a separate legal dispute over whether political statements made during the long-running controversy crossed the line into defamation.
