The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to register a First Information Report and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the 2020 death of Disha Salian, the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The directive follows a petition submitted last year by her father, Satish Salian, who alleged that his daughter was gang-raped and murdered. The petitioner had also accused the Mumbai Police of serious investigative lapses, prompting the court to transfer the case to the central agency.

Court Directives And Agency Protocol

A bench comprising Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale instructed the Malvani Police Station to transfer all case documents to the investigating agency. The court mandated that a senior officer must lead the inquiry and record a formal statement from Satish Salian.

Providing safeguards against arbitrary action, the bench clarified that individuals should not be treated as accused unless the investigating officer uncovers sufficient material against them. The court further stated that if the central agency finds no evidence to support a case, it is required to submit a summary report to the concerned court. In such a scenario, Satish Salian retains the liberty to contest the findings by filing a protest petition.

Previous Police Investigation Questioned

Disha Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in the Malad area of Mumbai. The incident occurred merely days before Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra apartment. Initially, the local police registered an Accidental Death Report and later concluded after an inquiry that she had died by suicide.

During an earlier hearing, a division bench of Justices Bharti Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande had severely criticised the police approach. The bench questioned why the police had solely relied on an Accidental Death Report instead of filing a First Information Report, given the family’s persistent allegations of murder.

The court also noted the failure of authorities to provide the family with copies of the post-mortem report and the initial Accidental Death Report, even five years after the incident.

Allegations Of Influence And Police Inaction

Representing the petitioner, advocate Nilesh Ojha expressed gratitude for the court’s intervention shortly after the proceedings. He noted that the order clearly outlined the next steps for the central agency and protected the family’s right to challenge the outcome. “The Court has directed the CBI to record the statement of Satish Salian, register an FIR, appoint a senior officer to conduct the investigation, and the Malvani Police Station to hand over all records to the CBI.

Furthermore, action will be taken against anyone against whom evidence is found. No one will be named as an accused if there is no evidence against them. Additionally, if the CBI submits a negative report, we have the right to raise objections and file a protest petition. The court has explicitly stated this in its order. I thank the court,” Ojha said.

Ojha had previously claimed that the local investigation was compromised due to the involvement of high-ranking officials and powerful individuals. “It was simple: influential accused were involved, and some senior police officers were also involved. As we have provided proof on record. All these things were affecting the situation. There were Supreme Court guidelines, Home Ministry guidelines, and directions from the Constitution Bench; an FIR was mandatory, yet they didn’t do it,” he had alleged.

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