The Bombay High Court on Thursday questioned the prolonged delay in the investigation into the death of celebrity manager Disha Salian, asking how long the Mumbai Police intended to continue its inquiry.
Salian, who had worked with several Bollywood personalities, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad, north Mumbai. The police had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) following the incident.
A division bench of Justices A.S. Gadkari and R.R. Bhonsale observed that even after five years, the police had yet to determine whether the death was a case of suicide or culpable homicide. “Why is the inquiry still ongoing? Someone has died — all you have to ascertain is whether it was a suicide or culpable homicide,” the bench remarked after Public Prosecutor Mankhunwar Deshmukh informed the court that the inquiry was still underway.
Deshmukh said the probe was being conducted “minutely” to rule out all possibilities.
Disha’s father, Satish Salian, had filed a petition earlier this year seeking a CBI investigation, alleging that his daughter was raped and murdered, and claiming a political cover-up to shield influential individuals. He also sought the registration of an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray.
The prosecutor, however, told the court that both Satish and his wife had earlier told investigators they had no suspicion or doubt about anyone’s involvement, questioning the credibility of the new allegations raised after five years.
The bench also asked why the police had not shared copies of statements and basic investigation documents with Disha’s father. “He is the father of the victim. Any document that is legally permissible can be handed over to him,” the judges said, directing the police to clarify their stance by December 11 and to produce the post-mortem report before the court.
Meanwhile, Aditya Thackeray has filed an application to intervene in the case, terming the petition “false, frivolous, and politically motivated.”
The court will hear the matter further on December 11, when the police are expected to present their report and explain the reasons for the prolonged inquiry.
