Mumbai: Responding to Disha Salian’s father Satish Salian’s defamation notice seeking Rs 500 crore in compensation over statements concerning his daughter’s death, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA
Aaditya Thackeray has rejected all allegations, assertions, demands and the compensation claim.
Aaditya’s lawyer Anshuman Sinha has said that nothing stated or published by Aaditya is false or defamatory of Satish Salian. The reply states that Aaditya stands unequivocally by his statement that ‘he never met or knew Disha Salian’. Aaditya will neither withdraw the posts nor issue any apology, correction or undertaking, nor make any payment. The reply asks Salian ‘to desist from distorting Aaditya’s words and from using legal notices or media platforms to obstruct his lawful and constitutional right to defend his name and reputation’. The reply asks Satish Salian’s lawyer to withdraw his defamation notice and allegations and demands within seven days. The reply states that if Salian initiates proceedings on the basis of the allegations already denied, then Aaditya will contest them.
“Any material relied upon must be proved in accordance with law, in its complete and accurate form, context and translation. Screenshots, extracts, media reports and third-party re-publications cannot be selectively used to alter the plain meaning of my client’s posts.
There is no defamatory narrative originating from him. He stands by his categorical statement that ‘I have never met or known Disha Salian’, his rejection of the grave and unproved allegations circulated against him, and his call for the official investigation to proceed. My client likewise reserves all rights and remedies against persons who distort his statements, falsely implicate him or misuse legal proceedings and media platforms to damage his reputation,” the reply states.
Earlier this month in a post on X, Aaditya said he had “never met Disha Salian” and had no acquaintance with her. Aaditya alleged that his name had been linked to the case repeatedly for the past six years for “political motives” and out of “personal enmity”. Following his post, Satish Salian sent a notice demanding that Aaditya and former home minister
Anil Deshmukh apologise, retract the statements and pay Rs 500 crore in compensation.
