The Central Bureau of Investigation has officially taken charge of the probe into the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian. On 14 September, the agency registered a formal FIR, marking a significant turn in the case. This development follows a direct order issued on 2 September by the Bombay High Court in the matter of Satish Salian versus the State of Maharashtra, which mandated a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Disha Salian passed away at the age of 28 on 8 June 2020 after falling from a high-rise residential building in Malad. For years, the Mumbai Police treated the case as an accidental death under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, maintaining that post-mortem reports and witness statements pointed toward suicide. However, the deceased’s father later petitioned the court, alleging foul play. Upon reviewing the six-year-old inquiry, Justices Sarang V. Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale noted significant discrepancies in the initial process, prompting the intervention of the central agency.
While the registration of an FIR is a procedural necessity for a fresh investigation, the court clarified that it does not serve as proof of any criminal act. The bench has granted the CBI full independence to gather evidence, noting that no individual should be treated as an accused unless sufficient material is uncovered. The agency is now tasked with the difficult job of reconstructing a case that has aged over six years, facing potential hurdles like lost digital data, faded memories, and the need to re-verify the chain of custody for original evidence. Before the formal registration, the father of the deceased recorded his statement with the agency on 11 September.
The timeline of this case reflects years of legal and police activity, starting from the original Accidental Death Report in 2020 through the filing of Criminal Writ Petition No. 1612 of 2025. The court has opted not to supervise the probe directly, expressing confidence in the CBI’s ability to conduct an impartial investigation. Depending on their findings, the agency will either file a charge sheet or a closure report. Until then, the investigation remains a standard criminal inquiry focused on reconciling forensic evidence and official records.