- The Bombay High Court ordered the CBI to register an FIR in Disha Salian's 2020 death case
- Disha Salian died after a fall, initially recorded as accidental by Mumbai Police
- Her father filed a petition alleging a criminal angle and flaws in the original inquiry
From an accidental-death inquiry to a High Court-ordered FIR, the case surrounding the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian has taken a dramatic legal turn.
Six years after Disha Salian's death, the case that became intertwined with one of the most closely watched chapters of the Mumbai entertainment industry has entered a new phase.
On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR and conduct a comprehensive investigation into Salian's death.
The order came on a petition filed by her father, Satish Salian, who sought registration of an FIR and a fresh probe into the circumstances surrounding his daughter's death.
The court's direction marks the most significant turn yet in a case that, since June 2020, has moved from an accidental-death inquiry to allegations of criminal angle, police investigations, political controversy and repeated demands for an independent probe.
The Night That Began It All
Disha Salian, 28, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from a high-rise residential building in Mumbai's Malad area.
Mumbai Police initially treated the incident as an accidental death and registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR), rather than an FIR alleging a cognisable criminal offence.
The circumstances surrounding her death, however, continued to attract attention, particularly after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput six days later. Salian had earlier worked as his manager.
Mumbai Police maintained that the two deaths were not connected. The simultaneous public attention on both cases, however, kept questions surrounding Salian's death in the public domain.
The Father's Challenge
The legal challenge came later, when Satish Salian approached the Bombay High Court seeking registration of an FIR and a fresh investigation.
The petition marked a significant shift in the family's position on the circumstances surrounding Disha's death.
In the period immediately after her death, the family had said it did not suspect a criminal angle. Satish Salian had also publicly indicated that he had no reason at the time to believe his daughter had been murdered.
His position later changed. In his petition before the Bombay High Court, he alleged a criminal angle and questioned the manner in which the original inquiry had been conducted.
The petition also sought investigation into allegations involving several individuals, including political figures.
The allegations have been disputed, and none of the individuals named in connection with them has been held guilty by a court in relation to Salian's death.
Mumbai Police, meanwhile, maintained that its earlier investigation did not establish criminal angle. The police also referred to the findings of a Special Investigation Team, saying they were consistent with the original conclusion while different angles had been examined.
The Names That Surfaced
As the controversy surrounding Salian's death grew, several prominent names from Bollywood and politics entered the public discourse.
The most prominent was Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, against whom Satish Salian's petition sought registration of an FIR and investigation.
The petition and subsequent submissions also referred to Dino Morea and Sooraj Pancholi, with the petitioner's side seeking scrutiny of their phone records and other material.
These references formed part of the allegations and demands made by the petitioner's side. They are not, at this stage, findings of criminal involvement.
Aaditya Thackeray has denied the allegations and challenged the petition, describing it as politically motivated and defamatory. His counsel argued before the court that the petition was aimed at tarnishing his reputation and claimed that Satish Salian had “become a tool” in the hands of political rivals.
Thackeray has also maintained that no formal complaint against him was made by the family initially and that the later accusations were based on hearsay.
The political dimension intensified further after Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane publicly backed the demand for a fresh probe and referred to allegations involving Thackeray, Morea and Pancholi.
High Court Starts Asking Questions
The case took another significant turn during hearings before the Bombay High Court this year.
The bench questioned the police over why an FIR had not been registered despite the family raising suspicions about the circumstances of Salian's death.
The court also sought explanations regarding the prolonged ADR inquiry and aspects of the investigation, including issues relating to the post-mortem and other evidence.
The questions put the focus back on the central dispute: whether an accidental-death inquiry was sufficient once allegations of possible criminality were raised.
The Post-Mortem Questions
Another issue that came under scrutiny during the recent hearings was the nature of the injuries recorded in connection with Salian's fall.
The court sought clarification on aspects of the medical and forensic material and questioned the police about how the investigation had proceeded.
The court's observations in this context did not, by themselves, establish that Salian had been murdered. They formed part of the judicial scrutiny of whether the earlier investigation had adequately addressed the questions raised by her family.
Six Years Later, Case Changes Course
The Bombay High Court has now directed the CBI to register an FIR and investigate the circumstances surrounding Salian's death.
Records held by Malvani Police are to be made available to the central agency, while Satish Salian's statement is also to be recorded as part of the process.
The significance of the order is that the matter will no longer remain confined to the earlier ADR inquiry. The CBI will now conduct a formal criminal investigation into what happened on the night of June 8, 2020.
What Remains Unanswered?
The CBI investigation will have to establish, on the basis of evidence, what exactly happened on the night Salian died.
Among the issues likely to come under scrutiny are the circumstances leading to her fall, evidence collected from the scene, witness statements, medical and forensic material, digital evidence and the manner in which the original police inquiry was conducted.
The agency may also examine whether evidence was overlooked, whether there were procedural lapses in the earlier investigation and whether the allegations of criminal angle are supported by evidence.
At this stage, however, the High Court's direction to register an FIR should not be read as a judicial finding that murder took place.
From ADR To FIR
2020: Salian's death is treated as an accidental death and investigated through an ADR.
2026: Satish Salian approaches the Bombay High Court seeking registration of an FIR and a fresh investigation.
August 2026: The High Court questions the police over the absence of an FIR and aspects of the investigation.
September 2, 2026: The High Court directs the CBI to register an FIR and investigate the death.
The Road Ahead
The CBI probe could answer questions that have remained unresolved for years. It could also either substantiate or disprove allegations that have circulated publicly since 2020.
The legal position, however, is straightforward: an FIR marks the beginning of a criminal investigation. It is not proof of the allegations contained in it.
The CBI will now have to gather evidence, examine witnesses and records, and determine whether an offence was committed and, if so, whether there is evidence identifying those responsible.
