Disha Salian death case: Bombay HC orders CBI probe, FIR

Dubai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR and take over the investigation into the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian.

A Division Bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Bhonsale directed the CBI to record the statement of Salian’s father, Satish Salian, and appoint a senior and experienced officer to investigate the case.

The bench also ordered Malvani Police Station to hand over all records related to the case to the CBI.

The court made it clear that directing registration of an FIR does not amount to a finding of guilt against anyone. No person will be treated as an accused unless the investigating officer finds sufficient material giving rise to reasonable suspicion during the probe.

Father says he waited six years

Salian, 28, was found dead on June 8, 2020, after reportedly falling from a residential building in Mumbai’s Malad area. She was the former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who died six days later in Mumbai.

Mumbai Police had initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and, after an inquiry, maintained that Salian’s death was a case of suicide.

Her father, however, has for years questioned the circumstances surrounding her death and sought a CBI investigation.

Reacting to Wednesday’s order, Satish Salian became emotional and said he had been waiting for the development for six years.

“I have been waiting for this for six years. There is no reason to be happy. I have lost my daughter. I feel relieved today,” he told reporters.

Who was Disha Salian?

Disha Salian was a 28-year-old celebrity talent manager who worked with several well-known figures in Bollywood, including Sushant Singh Rajput, Bharti Singh and Varun Sharma.

She died after reportedly falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad on the night of June 8, 2020.

Her death initially drew widespread attention after being treated as a suicide. The case came under even greater public scrutiny after Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead six days later, on June 14, 2020.

Advocate welcomes CBI investigation

Nilesh Ojha, who represents Satish Salian, welcomed the court’s order, saying the CBI had been directed to record his client’s statement, register an FIR and appoint a senior officer to conduct the investigation.

Ojha said Malvani Police would hand over all case records to the CBI and that action could be taken against anyone if evidence emerged during the investigation.

He added that if the CBI eventually files a closure or negative report, Salian would have the right to challenge it by way of a protest petition.

Court had questioned earlier probe

During earlier hearings, the High Court had questioned why only an ADR was registered despite allegations raised by Salian’s family.

The bench also raised concerns over the prolonged inquiry and questioned whether proceedings relating to an accidental death could continue without an FIR when allegations of a cognisable offence had been made.

The court had further noted that copies of the post-mortem report and ADR had not been provided to Salian’s family even years after her death.

Allegations remain subject to investigation.

Salian’s father has alleged that his daughter was raped and murdered and that influential people may have been protected. These remain allegations by the family and have not been established by a court.

The CBI will now investigate the circumstances surrounding Salian’s death. If the probe establishes that a cognisable offence has been committed, the agency will proceed in accordance with the law. If it finds no offence, it can submit an appropriate closure report before the competent court.

The High Court’s order marks a significant new phase in a case that has remained under intense public scrutiny for more than six years.

With inputs from IANS