Mumbai: The case of celebrity manager Disha Salian’s death has been reopened after six years. Bombay High Court on Wednesday handed over the investigation of this case to CBI. The court has asked CBI to register an FIR and record the statement of Disha’s father Satish Salian. Also, Mumbai Police has been ordered to hand over all the documents to CBI. Disha died on 8 June 2020 after falling from a building in Malad.
Why did the High Court have to order a CBI investigation?
This matter again reached the court after the petition of Disha’s father Satish Salian. He had raised questions on the old investigation of Mumbai Police and demanded a fresh investigation. Even during the hearing in August, the High Court had raised questions as to why FIR was not registered in the case despite the family’s complaint and why the investigation was limited to only Accidental Death Report i.e. ADR.
What will CBI do first now?
The court has asked the Joint Director of CBI Mumbai region to appoint a senior and experienced officer. This officer will record the statement of Satish Salian and proceed with the FIR process. Along with this, Mumbai Police will have to immediately hand over the records and documents related to the case to CBI. The investigating officer has been instructed to investigate all aspects related to Disha’s death.
Has the High Court considered anyone an accused?
The court has made one important thing clear in this matter. Filing an FIR and ordering a CBI investigation does not mean that a person has been deemed guilty or accused. The court has said that a person can be considered an accused only when sufficient suspicion arises on the basis of material collected during the investigation. That means no crime has been proven against anyone yet.
What happened in 2020?
Disha died after falling from a high-rise building in Malad on the night of 8 June 2020. She was the former manager of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Sushant was also found dead in his flat on June 14, just 6 days after Disha’s death. Due to the gap of only a few days between the two deaths, this case gained popularity across the country. There was debate on this from social media to Parliament.
What will happen next if the investigation reveals a crime?
The High Court has also clarified the further process regarding the CBI investigation. If a cognisable offence is revealed in the investigation, then the investigating officer will have to take further action and file a charge sheet. At the same time, if no such crime is revealed during the investigation, then as per law, closure report can be filed before the court. Disha’s father will also have the freedom to lodge an objection against such a report.
Why is this decision important for the family after six years?
Satish Salian had been demanding re-investigation of his daughter’s death for a long time. Now after the order of the High Court, the investigation of the case will be in the hands of CBI instead of Mumbai Police. The further picture will become clear from the evidence emerging in the investigation. At present, the court order definitely decides that there will be a fresh detailed investigation into the circumstances of Disha Salian’s death and after the FIR, the legal process of the case will move forward.
