Bombay HC orders CBI probe into Sushant Singh Rajput's ex-manager Disha Salian's death case

A division bench comprising Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale passed the order on Wednesday while hearing a petition filed by Salian's father, Satish Salian, who had alleged lapses in the Mumbai Police investigation into his daughter's death.

The court directed the Mumbai Police to hand over all documents and records connected with the case to the CBI.

The order marks a significant change in the legal proceedings surrounding Salian's death, which has remained the subject of controversy since June 2020.

Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai's Malad area.

Her death occurred days before Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence.

Mumbai Police had initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in connection with Salian's death.

Following an inquiry, police concluded that she had died by suicide.

Her family, however, subsequently raised allegations about the circumstances surrounding her death.

Satish Salian approached the Bombay High Court last year, alleging that his daughter had been gang-raped and murdered.

The petition also questioned why the police had registered an ADR rather than an FIR despite the allegations made by the family.

Court directs CBI to register fresh FIR

The High Court has now directed the CBI to register an FIR and investigate the matter.

The bench also made it clear that a person should not be treated as an accused unless the investigating officer finds sufficient material linking them to an offence.

"In case the investigation reveals that no case is made out, then the CBI shall file the appropriate summary report before the court concerned," the bench said.

The court further said Satish Salian would have the liberty to challenge such a report if the CBI eventually concludes that no criminal case had been established.

The direction means the CBI investigation will determine whether the available evidence warrants criminal action against any individual.

Mumbai Police records to be handed over

As part of the order, the Malvani Police Station has been directed to transfer the records and other material relating to the case to the CBI.

The petitioner's lawyer, Nilesh Ojha, said the court had also directed the CBI to record Satish Salian's statement and appoint a senior officer to oversee the investigation.

"The Court has directed the CBI to record the statement of Satish Salian, register an FIR, appoint a senior officer to conduct the investigation, and the Malvani Police Station to hand over all records to the CBI," Ojha said after the hearing.

He added that action would be taken against anyone against whom evidence emerged during the investigation, while no person would be named as an accused in the absence of evidence.

Ojha also said the family would have the right to challenge a negative report if the CBI eventually filed one.

Family had alleged lapses in investigation

Satish Salian's petition had raised questions over the manner in which the Mumbai Police handled the case. His counsel had previously alleged that influential individuals and senior police officers had affected the investigation.

"It was simple: influential accused were involved, and some senior police officers were also involved," Ojha had alleged during an earlier hearing.

He had further claimed that material supporting the family's allegations had been placed before the court and argued that legal and procedural guidelines required registration of an FIR.

The Bombay High Court had previously also questioned the decision to register only an ADR despite the family's allegations of murder.

Court had raised questions over documents

During an earlier hearing, another division bench comprising Justice Bharti Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande had raised concerns over the absence of an FIR in the case.

The court had also noted that copies of Salian's post-mortem report and the ADR had not been provided to her family even five years after her death.