Disha Salian Death Case: Father Satish Salian to Submit Key Evidence Before CBI

Mumbai: Disha Salian’s father, Satish Salian, along with his lawyer, will visit the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Mumbai after 2 pm on Thursday to submit several pieces of evidence related to the case.

Satish Salian is also expected to demand that the concerned officials be called for questioning at the earliest and that strict action be taken against those found responsible.
The development comes amid a continuing legal dispute involving Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Satish Salian.

On Thursday, Thackeray issued a formal legal response rejecting the Rs 500-crore defamation notice sent by Salian.

In the response, Thackeray denied the allegations of defamation and refused to issue an apology, withdraw his social media posts or pay compensation.

"The characterisation of the posts as false, malicious or defamatory of Shri Satish Salian is rejected in full. The demand for Rs 500 crore as "compensation and damages" is arbitrary and unsupported by any pleaded basis, computation or identified loss. No apology, withdrawal, payment or other compliance is called for," the letter stated.

Thackeray’s legal counsel also argued that the social media posts dated September 16 on X did not mention or name Satish Salian.

"The notice does not identify any particular sentence, expression or imputation in either publication which expressly refers to Satish Salian. Nor does it demonstrate, from the publication itself, that the words complained of refer to him," the response said.

The legal response further argued that comments concerning a prolonged political and media campaign could not be converted into actionable defamation by inserting an individual’s name.

"The attempt is instead to construct the alleged imputation by combining the impugned posts with the complaint, the writ proceedings, media reports and surrounding political events. Such collateral material cannot be used to rewrite the publication or manufacture an actionable imputation which is absent from its text. Such an exercise cannot substitute for the actual words published," it added.

The response stated that Thackeray had denied every allegation and claim made in the legal notice, describing them as false, misconceived and legally unsustainable.

Earlier, on September 19, Advocate Nilesh Ojha, representing Satish Salian, said a legal notice demanding an apology and Rs 500 crore in compensation had been sent to Thackeray.

Speaking to ANI, Ojha said, "One of our junior lawyers is serving a notice right now. The notice demands an apology and a Demand Draft (DD) for Rs 500 crore in compensation.

Everyone is equal under the Constitution. Regarding the threat he issued, saying he wouldn't let us practice law, we came here to show them: 'Look, we are coming right to your doorstep to serve this notice.' Bring as many goons as you want; do whatever you please."

Disha Salian was found dead in Mumbai on June 8, 2020. Her death was initially recorded as an Accidental Death Report (ADR).

She died days before actor Sushant Singh Rajput, whose death also led to a high-profile investigation and public controversy. 

ALSO READ: 'It Was Inappropriate': IIT Bombay Apologises for Prior Statement Regarding Sahil's Death Amid Ongoing Police Inquiry