Nothing to do with case, says Aaditya
Shiv Sena leader calls allegations mud-slinging, dirty politics
MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday lashed out at “dirty politics” over actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death after his name came up in theories floating online and indirect references to him in speculative news reports. The 30-year-old minister, known to have cordial relations with several personalities in the Mumbai-based Hindi film industry, dismissed the allegations, saying he had no connection with the actor’s death on June 14.
Thackeray, in a strongly worded statement in Marathi, termed the campaign against him “mudslinging” stemming from of “frustration” of the opposition party, a reference to the BJP. Thackeray, in a statement that he tweeted, said that he was not even “remotely” connected to the case of the actor, who is suspected to have committed suicide on June 14.
“Those who are pricked by the success and popularity of the Maharashtra government have started dirty politics over the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. Unnecessary mudslinging is going on me and the Thackeray family. This is nothing but dirty politics arisen out of frustration…,” he said in the statement.
This is the first time Thackeray has responded to speculation dragging him into the Sushant Singh Rajput case.
Over the past few weeks, speculative news reports also indirectly mentioned a “young” politician’s involvement in the case and said that’s why the Maharashtra government headed by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was not willing to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
At least two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs from Mumbai—Atul Bhatkhalkar and Ameet Satam—alleged that the Mumbai police are acting under pressure to save an influential young politician. On August 2, Satam, in a letter to Abhishek Trimukhe, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 9), asked if everybody who attended the party at Rajput’s house, allegedly held on June 13, were questioned. “Why are the Mumbai police not collecting the call data records of all those present at the party?” he asked. Thackeray called the “politics over the dead” an assault on humanity. “I am not even remotely connected to the case. The people who are levelling baseless allegations should understand this.”
Last week, a photograph of the state environment and tourism minister with an actress went viral. Several people claimed that the actor in the picture was Chakraborty, but it was actually another actress. “The film industry is an integral part of Mumbai. Several thousand livelihoods depend on this industry. I have personal relationships with some from the industry, and it is not a crime,” added Thackeray in the statement.
Anil Parab, Sena minister and close aide of CM Thackeray challenged the opposition to show proof of Thackeray’s involvement. “For the past few days, opposition leaders are raising the issue of some links of the young minister in this case. Whoever has evidence that Aaditya Thackeray is connected to the case should come forward. This is nothing but an attempt to malign the image of the young leader,”he said.