Sharmila Thackeray backs besieged nephew Aditya Thackeray in Disha Salian case

Mumbai: In a pleasant surprise for the Thackeray clan, Sharmila Thackeray, the wife of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray, has openly come out in support of her nephew Aditya Thackeray, who is sought to be cornered in the Disha Salian case, here on Friday.

In a brief media interaction, Sharmila was questioned about the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the allegations against Aditya Thackeray in celeb manager Salian’s death case of June 2020.

“I don’t think Aditya will do any such thing… Anyone can order an investigation. We too have gone through such things,” said Sharmila, apparently in a relief for her beleaguered nephew.

Sharmila's comments came with reference to the SIT set up to investigate the Salian case from a different perspective, in which political fingers are being pointed at Aditya Thackeray.

She spoke after attending a special event for women organised by the Mumbai Marathi Journalists’ Association, and her observations on Aditya Thackeray sparked off a debate on social media.

Incidentally, MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former CM Uddhav Thackeray, the father of Aditya Thackeray, are estranged cousins who have been at political loggerheads for over 15 years now.

However, the two families are known to bury the hatchet during family crises or emergencies, rush to stand by each other, besides uniting for certain family celebrations or weddings.

Around 10 years ago, Uddhav Thackeray had visited his niece and Raj Thackeray’s daughter Urvashi at the Hinduja Hospital after she had met with a scooter accident and fractured her leg.

Some 11 years back, Raj Thackeray had visited Uddhav Thackeray at a hospital where the latter was admitted for certain cardiac problems.

In 2019, Uddhav Thackeray had graciously accepted Raj Thackeray’s invitation and attended the wedding of the latter’s son, Amit Thackeray, in Mumbai.

Salian (28), the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a high-rise in Mumbai on June 8, 2020. Her death had triggered political mudslinging in Maharashtra with the opposition BJP accusing the then MVA government of hushing up the matter.