The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered an FIR in the 2020 death of Disha Salian after a Bombay High Court direction, while clarifying that the people mentioned in the case have not been declared accused at this stage. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, whose name is included in the FIR, has denied ever meeting or knowing Salian and alleged that attempts to link him to the case were intended to damage his reputation.
The development follows the High Court’s September 2 order on a petition filed by Salian’s father, Satish Salian. The court directed the CBI to investigate her death and said that no person should be treated as an accused unless suitable material emerged against them.
According to the report by PTI, the CBI has said that individuals would be treated as accused only if evidence of their involvement emerges during the investigation. The FIR mentions several people, including Thackeray, whose roles the agency says require examination. Being named in the FIR does not by itself establish criminal involvement.
The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding Salian’s death and the handling of the case by authorities. The agency will scrutinise police records, case papers, forensic and autopsy material, and statements from people connected with the matter. The FIR also contains allegations concerning possible suppression or destruction of records and other aspects of the earlier investigation. These allegations have not been established by the registration of the FIR.
Salian, 28, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from a residential building in Mumbai’s Malad area. Mumbai Police initially registered an accidental death report and later treated the incident as a case of suicide. Actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence six days later, on June 14. The two deaths subsequently became the subject of public speculation and demands for further investigation.
In a post on X, Thackeray said he had never met or known Salian and described efforts to connect him to the case as an evidence-free attempt at character assassination. He alleged that the campaign had continued for nearly six years and was motivated by political and personal interests.
Thackeray also said the CBI investigation should proceed without political distractions and attempts at character assassination. He said the official inquiry should establish the facts and maintained that the allegations would not deter him from what he described as a fight for the truth.
The CBI investigation will now examine the material identified in the FIR, including records from the earlier inquiry and evidence relating to the circumstances of Salian’s death. The agency’s findings will determine whether any person named in the FIR is subsequently treated as an accused.
