Bombay HC Orders CBI Probe Into Death of Sushant Rajput's Former Manager
Bombay High Court orders CBI to register FIR and probe the 2020 death of Disha Salian, former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR and conduct a comprehensive investigation into the death of Disha Salian, who had previously managed actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling from a building in Mumbai's Malad area, just days before Rajput was discovered dead at his residence. The Mumbai Police had initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the matter.
The order was issued by a bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale while hearing a petition from Satish Salian, Disha's father, who alleged lapses in the city police's investigation. The court has instructed the Malvani Police Station to transfer all case records to the CBI.
The bench clarified that no individual should be treated as an accused unless the investigating officer finds sufficient material against them. If the probe concludes that no case is made out, the CBI is permitted to file a summary report before the relevant court. Satish Salian retains the right to challenge such a report.
The court has also directed the CBI to record the statement of Satish Salian and appoint a senior officer to lead the investigation. Speaking after the hearing, lawyer Nilesh Ojha, representing the petitioner, stated that the family has the right to file a protest petition if the CBI submits a negative report.
Ojha had previously alleged that influential individuals and certain senior police officers were involved, which affected the investigation. He noted that despite guidelines from the Supreme Court and Home Ministry, an FIR was not registered initially.
Following an inquiry, the police had claimed Salian's death was a suicide. However, her father filed a petition last year alleging she was gang-raped and murdered. During an earlier hearing, a division bench had raised concerns about the registration of only an ADR despite the family's allegations. The court also noted that copies of the post-mortem report and ADR had not been provided to the family even five years after the death.