Sushant Singh Rajput’s ex-manager Disha Salian death: Aaditya Thackeray, Rhea, Dino named in CBI FIR

Dubai: Six years after Disha Salian fell to her death from a Mumbai high-rise, the case that police had treated as a suicide has taken a dramatic turn, with India’s Central Bureau of Investigation registering an FIR involving allegations of murder, gang rape, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and actors Rhea Chakraborty, Dino Morea and Sooraj Pancholi are among several prominent people whose roles have been listed for investigation in the FIR, according to Indian media reports.

The list also includes former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, former state home minister Anil Deshmukh, Rhea Chakraborty’s brother Showik Chakraborty, former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh and former police officer Sachin Vaze, the Times of India reported.

The inclusion of their names in the FIR does not by itself establish wrongdoing. Their roles are to be investigated by the CBI.

The agency’s intervention follows a September 2 Bombay High Court order transferring the investigation to the CBI after sharply criticising the way Mumbai Police handled Salian’s death.

What does the CBI FIR allege?

The FIR has been registered under provisions relating to murder, gang rape, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and providing false information.

According to excerpts reported by Indian media, the FIR says the roles of those listed will be investigated in relation to the alleged offences as well as an alleged conspiracy to create and propagate a “false suicide story” and suppress, destroy or fabricate evidence.

It also refers to police officers, forensic officials, doctors and staff connected with Salian’s post-mortem, security personnel at the building where she died and members of the subsequent investigation team.

The allegations have not been proven and will now form part of the CBI investigation.

Why is Aaditya Thackeray named?

The FIR lists Aaditya Thackeray among the people whose roles require investigation, according to the reports.

It also refers to his father, then Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

According to a passage from the FIR cited by Indian media, Uddhav Thackeray and others allegedly played a role in a conspiracy and subsequent cover-up. It further alleges that public servants and police officers may have been involved in suppressing records, fabricating official documents or misusing government resources to shield offenders.

These are allegations contained in the case now being investigated, not judicial findings.

What happened to Disha Salian?

Salian, who had worked as a celebrity manager and briefly managed actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai’s Malad area.

Mumbai Police registered an Accidental Death Report and, following an inquiry, maintained that she had died by suicide.

Six days later, on June 14, Rajput was found dead at his Bandra home.

The proximity of the two deaths fuelled intense public speculation about whether they were connected. The cases, however, were investigated separately.

Father challenged suicide finding

The latest investigation follows a long campaign by Salian’s father, Satish Salian, who challenged the police account of his daughter’s death.

He approached the Bombay High Court last year alleging that his daughter had been gang-raped and murdered and claiming that influential people were involved in a subsequent cover-up.

Satish Salian recorded his statement with the CBI last week, according to reports.

He has made allegations against several individuals, including Aaditya Thackeray and Dino Morea. Those allegations will now be examined by investigators.

High Court questioned police probe

The Bombay High Court’s intervention was particularly significant because of its criticism of the original investigation.

Ordering the CBI probe on September 2, the court questioned why Mumbai Police had failed to register an FIR for six years and said the investigation “raises more questions than answers”.

The court also pointed to what it described as “glaring discrepancies” and questioned why the case had remained an accidental-death inquiry.

It further noted that Salian’s family had allegedly not received copies of the post-mortem report and Accidental Death Report even six years after her death.

What happens now?

The CBI has sought documents and records connected with the original investigation and will examine the circumstances surrounding Salian’s death as well as the alleged handling of evidence afterwards.

That means the investigation potentially extends beyond what happened inside the Malad building on June 8, 2020.

It could also scrutinise how Mumbai Police, forensic personnel and other officials handled the case in the days and years that followed.

For a death that remained officially treated as suicide for years, the registration of an FIR involving allegations of murder and gang rape marks a major reopening of one of the most controversial cases to emerge from Mumbai’s film world.