Bombay High Court orders Central Bureau of Investigation probe into Disha Salian’s death

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday transferred the inquiry into the death of Disha Salian, who managed late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The order follows a plea on behalf of the deceased’s father requesting an independent probe into allegations that she was assaulted and died as a result, and that the police had neglected to register his complaint.^[1][2]

Father’s allegations and court’s directive

Satish Salian’s lawyer, Nilesh Ojha, presented evidence that the police had not taken his formal complaint seriously. He argued that the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s fall from the 14th‑floor of a residential building in Malad in June 2020 were suspicious rather than accidental. In response, the bench ordered the senior CBI officer in charge of the Mumbai bureau to appoint an investigating officer who would record a statement from Satish Salian and register a First Information Report (FIR).^[2]

Previous investigations concluded suicide

Maharashtra police had initially recorded an Accidental Death Report and, upon inquiry, concluded that Disha Salian had committed suicide after falling from the building’s 14th floor. The State government maintained that no foul play was found and that the earlier investigation had been reopened after three or four years.^[2][3]

Court’s conditions for the investigation

The High Court clarified that no one will be treated as an accused unless reasonable suspicion can be raised against them while the investigation is ongoing. Officers at Malwani Police Station were directed to hand over all relevant documents and evidence to the CBI investigating officer. The bench also noted that any wrongdoing discovered would lead to a report submitted to the competent court, whereas a lack of evidence would result in a summary report allowing the petitioner to file a protest petition.^[2]