Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) chief and MLA Aaditya Thackeray has firmly denied any prior association with former IAS officer Disha Salian, stating he had never met her and was unaware of her until media reports surfaced. The remark comes amid growing scrutiny over political links in the case surrounding Salian's death, which initially sparked widespread outrage when she was found dead at her Mumbai residence earlier this year.
Disha Salian, a 2020-batch Indian Administrative Service officer posted as Deputy Collector in Palghar, died under circumstances that police later classified as suicide. Her death certificate and the subsequent charge sheet filed by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch brought allegations of harassment and institutional pressure to light, drawing national attention and protests from civil society groups across the country.
When asked about his connection to Salian during public inquiries, Thackeray maintained that despite sharing political space in Maharashtra, there was no personal or professional interaction between them. Sources close to the Shiv Sena (UBT) camp said the leader's statement was intended to distance the party from any perception of involvement in matters related to the IAS officer's case.
Legal and investigative authorities have been examining whether any political figure could be linked to the events leading up to Salian's death. While the charge sheet named several individuals and referenced workplace grievances, questions about political accountability have continued to surface in public discourse and opposition commentary.
Thackeray's comments add another dimension to an already complex narrative involving bureaucratic ethics, mental health concerns among civil servants, and the role of political environments in shaping institutional culture in the state. The case has become a focal point for debates on safeguards for young officers and transparency in disciplinary proceedings within the administrative framework.
