The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation into the death of celebrity manager Disha Salian, who died in Mumbai in 2020.
A division bench comprising Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale passed the order after considering a petition filed by Salian’s father, Satish Salian, who had questioned the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s death.
The court directed the CBI to register an FIR in the matter and record Satish Salian’s statement as part of the investigation. The agency has also been asked to assign the case to a senior and suitably experienced officer.
Disha Salian, who had worked as a celebrity manager and was associated with several personalities from the entertainment industry, died on June 8, 2020. She reportedly fell from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai’s Malad area.
Following her death, police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and conducted an inquiry. The police subsequently concluded that the incident was a case of suicide.
However, Satish Salian later approached the Bombay High Court, raising serious allegations regarding the circumstances of his daughter’s death. In his petition, he alleged that Disha had been gang-raped and murdered, claims that have been disputed and will now form part of the CBI’s investigation.
The High Court has also clarified that Satish Salian will have the liberty to challenge the investigation report once it is submitted.
The CBI probe is expected to examine the circumstances leading up to Disha Salian’s death and assess the allegations raised by her father.
