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The Bombay High Court on Wednesday (September 2) ordered CBI investigation in the death of Disha Salian, former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who died in alleged mysterious circumstances by falling from the 14th floor of a high-rise in suburban Malad in June 2020.

A division bench of Justice Sarang Kotwal and Justice Ranjitsinha Bhonsale, while dealing with a petition filed by her father Satish Salian, ordered the CBI to appoint a senior and an experienced officer to carry out the investigation in the case.

It however cautioned that no one should be treated as an accused unless the Investigating Officer finds sufficient material against any person.

The judges further ordered the IO to file the chargesheet in the case as early as possible, provided, a cognisable offence is made out. If no cognisable offence is made, the judges have ordered the I.O to file appropriate closure proceedings before the competent court and has granted Disha's father the liberty to file a protest petition. 

Notably, Satish had last year petitioned the High Court seeking registration of First Information Report (FIR) over the sudden death of his daughter, who he claimed was subjected to gang rape and  then murdered.

The Mumbai Police has however maintained that Disha died after falling from the high-rise.

A detailed copy of the order is yet to be made available. 

Advocate Nilesh Ojha appearing for Satish argued that Mumbai Police did not share even the post mortem report of Disha with her father and the same was shared only after five years of him approaching the High Court. He also raised questions over why the police did not file any FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray and others, whose names the father gave.

On the other hand, the Maharashtra Government through the Mumbai Police maintained that there was no evidence it came across, to prosecute anyone in Disha's death case. Chief Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray argued that the same indicated that Disha committed suicide or accidentally fell from the said building. 

Hiray questioned as to why Satish did not raise suspicion over anyone especially when he and his wife - both, got their statements recorded, more than once, by the police. 

Based on this evidence, the father now raised suspicion over his daughter's death and thus, the Police was bound by the Lalita Kumari judgment and lodge a FIR.

The plea was vehemently opposed by senior advocate Sudeep Pasbola, who argued on behalf of Thackeray that the instant proceedings were politically motivated. 

During the hearing, the judges had orally observed that the allegations made by the father could be correct or false but the police should have lodged an FIR and given a final closure to the family over their daughter's death, especially in view of the fact that the police continued enquiring into the ADR for nearly five to six years. 

However, Hiray clarified that the ADR was closed in October 2020 itself and was reopened only after the newly formed government in the State, took note of several allegations being made on social media about the manner in which the initial probe was carried out. He further clarified that even in the further enquiry no strong evidence was found to prosecute anyone for murder charge. 

Case Title: Satish Salian vs State of Maharashtra (Writ Petition 1612 of 2025)

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