Mumbai: The Disha Salian death case has taken a fresh turn, with her father Satish Salian issuing a rs 500 crore defamation notice to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) begins a fresh probe into the circumstances surrounding her death.
The notice reportedly seeks rs 500 crore in damages over statements that Satish Salian claims were defamatory and sought to question his pursuit of a fresh investigation. The development comes days after the CBI registered an FIR following a direction from the Bombay High Court.
The case dates back to June 8, 2020, when Disha Salian, 28, died after falling from a high rise in Mumbai. She had worked as a manager for actor Sushant Singh Rajput, whose death occurred six days later. Mumbai Police had initially registered an Accidental Death Report rather than an FIR for a cognisable offence.
The matter returned to the spotlight in 2026 after Salian’s father approached the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh investigation. On September 2, the court directed the CBI to register an FIR and investigate the circumstances of her death, citing what it described as several discrepancies in the earlier police inquiry. The court also clarified that its observations did not amount to findings against any particular individual.
The High Court had raised questions over issues including the timing of the spot panchnama, witness statements, forensic material and aspects of the post mortem examination. It said the earlier investigation raised more questions than it answered and ordered a substantive CBI probe.
The CBI subsequently registered the FIR and began examining the case. Reports say the investigation will include scrutiny of police records, forensic and autopsy material, witnesses and the circumstances surrounding Salian’s death. Senior CBI officer Seema Pahuja has been assigned to supervise the probe.
Names including Aaditya Thackeray, Rhea Chakraborty, Dino Morea and Sooraj Pancholi have been reported in connection with the FIR’s investigation. However, reporting based on the FIR indicates that the individuals are not thereby established as accused or guilty, and their roles are to be examined as part of the investigation.
Thackeray has denied ever meeting or knowing Salian and rejected allegations linking him to her death, calling them evidence free and politically motivated.
The rs 500 crore notice and the CBI investigation now place the nearly six year old case under renewed legal scrutiny. The outcome will depend on evidence gathered during the ongoing investigation and any subsequent proceedings.
ALSO READ: Disha Salian Death Case Takes A New Turn: Bombay HC Orders Fresh CBI Probe After 6 Years
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