Satish Salian, the father of the late celebrity manager Disha Salian, has approached the Bombay High Court with a request to remove a clause that stipulates “nobody shall be treated as an accused until reasonable suspicion” in the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. This plea, submitted through advocate Nilesh Ojha, calls for the deletion or potential modification of Clause (iv) from the court’s order issued on September 2.

The specific clause indicates that an individual will not be considered an accused unless the Investigating Officer believes there are sufficient grounds for reasonable suspicion. Salian has argued that this directive is prejudicial to him, allegedly facilitating misuse by those involved in the case.

In his application, Salian contended that the interpretation of the clause is inconsistent with established legal norms regarding when someone can be defined as an “accused of an offence.”

Background of the Investigation

Disha Salian passed away under enigmatic circumstances, leading to multiple inquiries by local police and an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government. Both investigations concluded that her death was a suicide. However, her father has persistently claimed that she was murdered and has linked this allegation to the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Even as the CBI sought to file closure in the Rajput case, it only recently commenced its investigation into the circumstances surrounding Disha Salian after registering an FIR. The High Court had previously interrogated the Maharashtra government about procedural discrepancies and suspicious elements in the investigation process, emphasising that a “grieving father will not receive closure” without a legitimate inquiry.

Consequently, the court ordered the CBI to undertake an FIR and conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, marking a significant development in this ongoing case.

Concerns Raised by Aditya Thackeray

Amidst the evolving situation, Aditya Thackeray, a leader from the Shiv Sena UBT, has also approached the High Court, expressing concerns about facing false allegations related to the case. Thackeray has voiced apprehensions that these allegations could be manipulated against him if an FIR is registered.

Taking these claims into account, the court stipulated that no individual would be categorised as an accused during the inquiry unless reasonable suspicion is established as a result of the investigation. This decision aimed to address the concerns surrounding the potential misuse of the legal process.

Following the court’s directive, the CBI amended its FIR to exclude references to “suspects” or “accused” individuals, asserting that it complied with the High Court’s instructions in its investigative approach.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share