2020 Disha Salian case: CBI to probe Sushant Singh Rajput manager's death, FIR to be registered

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 2020 death of former celebrity manager Disha Salian, acting on a plea by her father, Satish Salian, who has alleged foul play and demanded a fresh investigation. The court directed the CBI to register an FIR on the basis of Satish Salian’s complaint and record his statement, while also asking Mumbai Police to hand over all relevant case papers and physical evidence to the agency, India Today reported.

Court directs CBI to register FIR 

A division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale directed the CBI to register a first information report (FIR) on the basis of Satish Salian’s complaint and record his statement. The court also said the case should be handed over to a suitably experienced and senior CBI officer and clarified that no person shall be treated as an accused unless sufficient material is gathered during the probe. Satish Salian will be at liberty to challenge the CBI’s report once submitted, the bench added.

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2020 death, police ADR and father’s allegations

Disha Salian, who had worked as manager for actor Sushant Singh Rajput, was found dead on June 8, 2020 after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai’s Malad area. Mumbai Police subsequently registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and, after inquiry, treated the case as suicide.

Her father, however, filed a petition in the High Court last year alleging that his daughter was gang-raped and murdered and that there was a politically orchestrated cover-up to protect influential persons. In his plea, he has sought action against several individuals, including Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray, and accused police of failing to register an FIR despite his complaints. He has also claimed that key forensic and investigative documents were withheld from the family.

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What happens next

Following the order, the concerned Mumbai police station is to hand over all necessary case papers and physical articles to the designated CBI investigating officer. The CBI is now expected to begin a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding Disha Salian’s death, with the court monitoring the progress through the probe report.