Six years after Disha Salian’s death, the case has taken a major turn.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR and investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the former celebrity manager, who had worked with actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Salian died on 8 June 2020 after falling from the 14th floor of a high-rise in Mumbai’s Malad area.
Her death became the subject of intense speculation, particularly because Rajput died six days later, on 14 June.
Now, the High Court has ordered a fresh CBI investigation following a petition by Salian’s father, Satish Salian.
But the court has not ruled that Disha was murdered, nor has it found anyone responsible for her death.
In fact, the court specifically said that nobody should be treated as an accused unless the investigating officer finds sufficient material to raise reasonable suspicion against that person.
What Did The Bombay High Court Order?
The court directed the CBI to appoint a senior and experienced officer to investigate Disha Salian’s death.
The investigating officer has been directed to record the statement of her father and investigate the circumstances surrounding her death. The court has also directed the CBI to register an FIR.
The court said that if the investigation establishes a cognisable offence, the investigating officer should proceed according to law. If no cognisable offence is established, appropriate closure proceedings should be filed before the competent court.
The court also made a significant clarification: an FIR and investigation do not amount to a finding of guilt.
No person is to be treated as an accused unless sufficient material emerges during the investigation.
Why Is Disha Salian’s Death Being Investigated Again?
The fresh probe follows a petition filed by Satish Salian.
He has alleged that his daughter was sexually assaulted and murdered and has questioned the way the earlier investigation was conducted.
These are allegations made by her father and have not been established as facts.
Mumbai Police has maintained a different position.
According to the police and the Maharashtra government, the investigation did not find evidence warranting prosecution for murder. The state has maintained that the available evidence indicated that Disha either died by suicide or accidentally fell from the building.
The High Court's latest order now puts the circumstances of her death under a fresh CBI investigation.
Who Was Disha Salian?
Disha Salian was a celebrity manager who had worked with several people in the entertainment industry, including Sushant Singh Rajput.
She died on 8 June 2020 after falling from a high-rise in Malad, Mumbai.
Mumbai Police had registered an Accidental Death Report in connection with her death.
The police have maintained that their investigation did not find evidence to prosecute anyone for murder. The issue is now being examined afresh by the CBI.
Why Is Sushant Singh Rajput Part Of The Story?
This is one of the reasons the case has continued to attract public attention.
Disha Salian had worked with Sushant Singh Rajput.
She died on 8 June 2020.
Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence six days later, on 14 June 2020.
The proximity of the two deaths fuelled public speculation that they were connected.
But there is an important distinction between proximity and proof.
The Bombay High Court's latest order concerns the circumstances surrounding Disha Salian’s death. It does not establish that her death was connected to Rajput’s death.
Any such connection would have to emerge from evidence gathered during an investigation.
What Had Mumbai Police Said?
Mumbai Police has maintained that it found no evidence of foul play in its investigation into Disha’s death.
During the recent proceedings, the Maharashtra government argued that there was no evidence strong enough to prosecute anyone for murder.
The state also said that the earlier Accidental Death Report had been closed in October 2020 and that a later inquiry was undertaken after allegations about the original investigation surfaced.
According to the state, that subsequent inquiry also did not find strong evidence to prosecute anyone for murder.
The High Court’s decision to order a CBI probe should therefore not be described as a judicial finding that the earlier police conclusion was false.
It is a direction for a fresh investigation.
What Did Disha Salian’s Father Allege?
Satish Salian has challenged the earlier account of his daughter’s death.
According to reports of the proceedings, he alleged that Disha was subjected to sexual assault and murdered. His lawyer also raised questions about the investigation and the handling of material related to the case.
These claims are disputed.
The Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police have maintained that their investigation did not uncover evidence warranting prosecution for murder.
The CBI will now examine the allegations and the available evidence.
What About Aaditya Thackeray?
Aaditya Thackeray’s name has also featured in the proceedings.
Satish Salian’s petition raised allegations against several people, including the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.
Thackeray’s counsel opposed the proceedings and argued that they were politically motivated.
It is important to be precise here: the Bombay High Court has not found Aaditya Thackeray guilty of any offence in connection with Disha Salian’s death.
Nor does the order mean that every person named in the petition is an accused.
The court has expressly said that a person should not be treated as an accused unless sufficient material emerges during the investigation.
TL;DR | News At A Glance
Why is the Disha Salian case back in the news?
The Bombay High Court has directed the CBI to register an FIR and investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.
When did Disha Salian die?
She died on 8 June 2020 after falling from a high-rise in Mumbai’s Malad area.
What is the Sushant Singh Rajput connection?
Salian had worked with Rajput, who died six days after her. Their deaths fuelled public speculation, but the latest High Court order does not establish a criminal link between them.
What did Disha’s father allege?
Satish Salian alleged that his daughter was sexually assaulted and murdered and questioned the earlier investigation. These allegations remain unproven.
Does the CBI probe mean someone has been accused or found guilty?
No. The court has specifically said that nobody should be treated as an accused unless sufficient material emerges during the investigation.
Why Did The Court Order A CBI Probe?
The petition raised questions about how the circumstances of Disha’s death had been investigated and whether a formal FIR should have been registered after allegations of criminality were raised.
During the hearing, the judges questioned aspects of the earlier investigation.
The state defended the police inquiry and maintained that it had not found evidence of murder.
The High Court nevertheless directed the CBI to investigate the case.
The court’s order means that the allegations and the evidence will now be examined through a fresh criminal investigation rather than being settled by speculation or competing public claims.
What Happens Next?
The CBI will investigate the circumstances surrounding Disha Salian’s death and examine the material handed over as part of the case.
If the investigation establishes a cognisable offence, the agency can proceed with prosecution according to law.
If it does not find sufficient evidence of an offence, closure proceedings can follow.
That means the latest development is significant, but it is not a verdict.
The investigation will determine what the evidence shows.
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Six Years Later, A Fresh Investigation
Disha Salian’s death has remained intertwined in public discussion with the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, largely because of the six-day gap between their deaths.
But a connection suggested in public discourse is not the same as one established by evidence.
The Bombay High Court has now ordered the CBI to register an FIR and investigate the circumstances surrounding Disha’s death.
For her family, it opens a new chapter in a case they have continued to question.
For the investigating agency, the task is to establish what happened through evidence.
And that is what the CBI investigation will now have to determine.
