CBI FIR in Disha Salian case to probe gang rape, murder, cover-up charges

The FIR stems directly from a detailed fresh statement recorded by Salian’s father, Satish Salian, at the CBI’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) office in Mumbai.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a first information report (FIR) to commence its probe into the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian. The agency, which has registered the case on the statement of her father following the Bombay high court ruling on September 2, will probe alleged gang rape, murder, and an elaborate cover-up.

Disha Salian died after falling from a 12th-floor flat in Malad on June 9, 2020. (HT File Photo)

The FIR, registered on Sunday, stems directly from a detailed fresh statement recorded by Salian’s father, Satish Salian, at the CBI’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) office in Mumbai on Friday. The high court ordered the fresh probe on his petition.

"Yes, I have learnt that the FIR has been registered," Satish Salian told HT on Monday.

The FIR has been registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to gang rape, murder, causing disappearance of evidence, and public servants framing incorrect records or disobeying legal directions to shield offenders, but does not list anyone as an accused in line with the court verdict.

Disha, who briefly worked with actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died after falling from the 12th floor of a building in Malad at about 2:25am on June 9, 2020. The Malwani police registered an accidental death report in connection with the incident and concluded that it was a suicide and that there was no evidence suggesting any foul play in it. A Special Investigation Team set up by the state government in December 2023 also found no foul play in Disha's death.

Last year, however, Satish Salian approached the high court claiming that his daughter was sexually assaulted and murdered. His lawyer, advocate Nilesh Ojha, argued that Disha’s death was the outcome of a “deep-rooted conspiracy involving powerful people” and that she was subjected to brutal sexual assault and murdered.

What the FIR says

According to the FIR based on Satish Salian's statement, the then Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, father of Aditya Thackeray, and others allegedly "played a significant role in the conspiracy and subsequent cover-up".

It accused public servants and police officers of destroying or suppressing case papers, files, and other public records; fabricating official records; and misusing public funds, manpower, and police machinery to shield the offenders.

Satish Salian’s complaint sought an investigation into the role played by several politicians and police officers including Aaditya Thackeray, Disha's then fiancé Rohan Roy, Bollywood actors Dino Morea and Sooraj Pancholi, Aditya Thackeray's bodyguards, the then girlfriend of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Rhea Chakraborty, her brother, ex- police officer Sachin Vaze, then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, then state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, DCP Vishal Thakur and then Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.

To be sure, being named in the FIR does not, by itself, mean that any of these individuals has been made an accused. HT has accessed the details of the FIR.

Aaditya, his father Uddhav and the others named in the FIR are yet to react to the development.

Disha’s father also sought a probe into the conduct of officers of the Malwani police station, which initially probed the death; doctors and staff for the delayed post-mortem; Forensic Science Laboratory officers; the security guards of the building where the incident occurred; and the senior members of the state SIT that found no foul play in the death, "including all the senior police officers under whose supervision the faulty investigation/inquiry was conducted; and other unknown persons involved in the commission of the offence and subsequent cover-up".

‘Extraordinary contradictions’ about Disha’s phone

The FIR alleged "extraordinary contradictions" about Disha Salian’s mobile phone. It said the police took possession of Disha’s mobile phone on June 9 at about 9:40 am as per Rohan Roy’s statement. But despite the seizure, media reports later claimed it was active and being used.

"When this fact became public, the police gave another explanation that the phone had been reopened only after Sushant Singh Rajput's death by suicide on June 14, 2020, to verify a possible connection with his case. When even this explanation was found to be inconsistent with the available material, the earlier seizure records were allegedly suppressed/destroyed and a different version regarding the date and circumstances of seizure was subsequently introduced in the official record, " the FIR said.

In March 2025, CBI, after probing Rajput's death, closed the case, ruling out any foul play in Rajput's death, as suspected by the family.

Disha’s father alleged that her mobile phone was actually possessed and operated by Waze and Aditya Thackeray. "The phone was allegedly accessed to identify the persons with whom victim [Disha Salian / DS] had communicated information concerning the incident and the persons who could potentially become material witnesses or pose a threat to the persons involved, " the FIR said.

"After identifying such persons through the victim's mobile data and communications, potential witnesses were either eliminated, threatened, pressurised or otherwise prevented from disclosing the information available with them, while the relevant data in victim DS's mobile phone was accessed, deleted, tampered with or otherwise compromised so as to destroy the evidentiary trail, " the FIR alleged.

Disha had briefly worked with Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Raput, who allegedly died due to suicide on June 14, 2020 in Mumbai. Rajput, 34, was allegedly found hanging from the ceiling of his Bandra apartment by the occupants of his flat. In March 2025, the CBI, after probing Rajput's death, closed the case ruling out any foul play in Rajput's death, as suspected by the family.