'Why should I even respond to this?': Aaditya Thackeray on Disha Salian case after HC orders CBI probe - The Times of India

**Aaditya Thackeray Declines to Comment on HC‑Ordered CBI Probe into Disha Salian’s Death**

The Bombay High Court on Monday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register a first‑information report (FIR) and take over the probe into the death of Disha Salian, a former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The court chastised the state police for “unjustified delay” and for failing to file an FIR within the statutory 24‑hour window after the 23‑year‑old was found dead at a Mumbai hotel on July 13, 2022. Salian’s family, represented by senior counsel Gautam Bhatia, welcomed the order, saying a central agency was the only hope for an impartial inquiry.

In the wake of the judgment, Maharashtra’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Aaditya Thackeray, posted a terse remark on social media: “Why should I even respond to this?” The comment was interpreted as an evasion of responsibility, given that the state police, under his ministry’s jurisdiction, had been criticised by the court. Thackeray later clarified that he had not been directly involved in the investigation and that the matter now rested with the CBI, but he stopped short of addressing the broader concerns about police negligence raised by the bench.

Legal experts note that the High Court’s directive compels the CBI to file an FIR, interview witnesses, and submit a detailed report within a stipulated timeframe. The move comes amid heightened public scrutiny of high‑profile deaths linked to the entertainment industry, and follows similar interventions in the cases of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s own demise. As the CBI steps in, the Salian family hopes for a transparent process that will hold any culpable parties accountable and restore faith in law‑enforcement mechanisms.

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