Death of Disha Salian

Death of Disha Salian

Date	9 June 2020 (2020-06-09)
Time	c. 02:25 IST
Venue	Residential building, Jankalyan Nagar
Location	Malad, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Type	Death after fall from a high-rise building
Cause	Disputed; Mumbai Police treated the death as suicide; family allege homicide
First reporter	Malvani Police Station
Outcome	Central Bureau of Investigation investigation following Bombay High Court order

On the intervening night of 8–9 June 2020, Indian celebrity manager Disha Salian (born 26 May 1992) died after falling from a residential high-rise in Malad, Mumbai, aged 28. The Mumbai Police registered an accidental-death report and conducted an inquiry under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The police concluded that she had died by suicide and that there was no evidence of foul play.

Salian's father, Satish Salian, later alleged that she had been gang-raped and murdered and that her death had been staged as a suicide.

Salian had briefly worked as a manager for actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his home in Bandra six days later. The proximity of the two deaths generated widespread speculation. Mumbai Police said that they found no link between the deaths.

On 2 September 2026, the Bombay High Court, hearing a petition by Satish Salian, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register a first information report (FIR), record his statement and investigate all aspects of the death. The CBI registered an FIR on 14 September 2026 in connection with allegations of murder, gang rape, criminal conspiracy and suppression or fabrication of evidence.

Background

Disha Salian was born on 26 May 1992 in Udupi, Karnataka, and was raised in Mumbai. She worked as a talent and celebrity manager with agencies including CAA Kwan and Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment, and handled publicity or management work for several film and television personalities.

Salian was publicly identified as a former manager of Sushant Singh Rajput. She had also worked with other industry figures, including during the production of the film Jazbaa.

At the time of her death, she was engaged to television actor Rohan Rai, also referred to as Rohan Roy in some reports.

Death

Salian died after falling from a flat in a residential building in Jankalyan Nagar, Malad West, in the early hours of 9 June 2020. Later reports identified the building as Regent Galaxy. The time of the fall was reported as approximately 02:25 IST.

Reports have differed over the floor from which Salian fell, with some accounts referring to the 12th floor and others to the 14th floor.

According to accounts given to police and later reported in the press, Salian was at a gathering with her fiancé and friends. After she entered a bedroom and did not respond, those present forced entry and discovered that she was no longer in the room. She was subsequently found on the ground below the building and was taken to hospital, where she was declared dead. The Malvani police station registered an accidental-death report at approximately 03:07 IST.

A post-mortem examination was conducted on 11 June 2020 at a facility in Borivali. Reporting on the post-mortem described injuries consistent with a fall, including a head injury. Mumbai Police later stated that the examination did not record evidence of sexual or physical assault beyond injuries attributed to the fall.

In 2020, some political figures, including Narayan Rane, claimed that the post-mortem examination showed evidence of sexual assault. Contemporary reporting that examined the post-mortem notes stated that they did not record evidence of sexual assault.

Mumbai Police investigation

Accidental death inquiry

The death was initially investigated under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and was not registered as a criminal case through an FIR. On 10 June 2020, a deputy commissioner of police for the Malvani zone publicly described the death as a suicide and said that murder had been ruled out.

Police recorded statements from friends, Salian's fiancé and others present at the gathering. Investigators examined closed-circuit television footage and obtained forensic and viscera material.

Mumbai Police later stated that they had found no evidence of rape, murder or foul play and no evidence establishing a connection between Salian's death and Rajput's death. A closure or final-summary report submitted in February 2021 treated the death as suicide.

Reporting on the report attributed the conclusion to statements that Salian had been experiencing distress over work setbacks, disputes with friends and alleged financial disagreements involving her father. Satish Salian disputed that account.

Later reviews

In December 2023, the Commissioner of Police, following instructions from the Maharashtra government, ordered a fresh inquiry under Section 174.

A report dated 14 April 2026 again concluded that Salian had died by suicide. A Special Executive Magistrate accepted the report on 6 May 2026, according to reporting on the proceedings.

In affidavits submitted to the Bombay High Court, Mumbai Police maintained that Salian had jumped from the building, that she had consumed alcohol, that her fiancé had not alleged foul play at the time and that there was no evidence of sexual assault.

Allegations, media coverage and politics

Following Rajput's death, Salian's case became part of a wider public controversy. Social media posts and some television coverage circulated allegations that she had been gang-raped and murdered at a gathering involving politically connected individuals and that her death had been covered up.

Political leaders, including Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narayan Rane, alleged foul play and referred to the possible involvement of a young minister in the then Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government. The statements were widely interpreted as referring to Aaditya Thackeray. Those named denied any role in the alleged events.

Reporting in 2022 documented the effect of the controversy and related rumours on Salian's family and friends.

Relation to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput

See also: Suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput

Rajput died on 14 June 2020, six days after Salian's death. Because Salian had previously worked as his manager, the timing of the two deaths led to speculation that they were connected.

Mumbai Police stated in 2020 that their investigation had found no connection between the two deaths.

Reports in August 2020 stated that Rajput had searched online for information concerning Salian and had been distressed by rumours linking him to her death.

The CBI, which investigated Rajput's death, filed a closure report in March 2025 ruling out foul play in that case.

Satish Salian and his counsel have continued to assert that the two deaths are linked.

Bombay High Court petition

Satish Salian petitioned the Bombay High Court seeking registration of an FIR and a CBI investigation. He argued that the earlier Section 174 inquiry had not adequately addressed what he described as suspicious circumstances surrounding his daughter's death.

The petition was titled Satish Salian v. State of Maharashtra and Others and was identified as Criminal Writ Petition No. 1612 of 2025.

On 2 September 2026, a division bench of Justices Sarang V. Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale allowed the petition in part.

The court directed the CBI to:

• appoint a suitably experienced senior officer;
• record the petitioner's statement;
• register an FIR;
• investigate all aspects of the circumstances of the death;
• file a chargesheet if a cognisable offence was established; and
• file a closure or summary report if no such offence was established.

The Malvani police were directed to hand over the relevant case records to the CBI. The court declined to place the investigation under continuing judicial supervision.

Discrepancies cited by the court

The Bombay High Court discussed several issues concerning the earlier investigation, including:

• the timing of the spot panchnama;
• the timing of the accidental-death report and the arrival of Salian's father at the hospital;
• CCTV footage showing police personnel near the building before the officially recorded time of death;
• accounts concerning blood at the scene and the collection of blood-stained material;
• questions concerning whether the recorded injuries were consistent with a fall from the reported height;
• a chemical examiner's observations concerning blood found on certain articles;
• differences between accounts of a bedroom door being forced open and the description in the panchnama;
• discrepancies concerning post-mortem swab samples and forensic envelopes; and
• the delay in the seizure of Salian's mobile phone and laptop.

CBI investigation

Following the High Court order, the CBI sought the relevant records from the Malvani police and began examining the material connected with the earlier inquiry.

The CBI registered an FIR on 14 September 2026 following the High Court's directions. Reporting stated that the FIR referred to provisions relating to murder, gang rape, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and giving false information to screen offenders, among other offences.

According to reporting, the FIR recorded allegations made by Satish Salian and listed individuals whose roles were to be examined in relation to the allegations. The names reported included politicians, actors, police officers, security personnel, medical personnel and others connected with the earlier inquiry.

Names reported as appearing in coverage of the FIR included Aaditya Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray, Anil Deshmukh, Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi, Rhea Chakraborty, Showik Chakraborty, Rohan Rai, former police officer Sachin Vaze, former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, police officers, medical personnel and other individuals.

Reactions

Satish Salian and his counsel, Nilesh Ojha, welcomed the High Court order and the registration of the FIR.

Aaditya Thackeray denied any connection with the case after the High Court order.

Some members of Rajput's family and his supporters welcomed the CBI investigation into Salian's death.

See also

• Suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput
• Central Bureau of Investigation
• Bombay High Court
• Aaditya Thackeray

Further reading

• Jain, Bhavika (6 September 2026). "Six years, no FIR: The gaps that sent Disha Salian case to CBI". The Times of India.
• "CBI registers FIR in Disha Salian death case after Bombay HC order". ANI. 14 September 2026.