Disha Salian Death: Bombay HC Asks Why No FIR Was Registered
The High Court has posted the matter for further hearing on August 24: Reports
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Monday questioned the Mumbai Police over its decision not to register an FIR in connection with the 2020 death of former celebrity manager Disha Salian, despite her family’s suspicions. While the police concluded after an inquiry that Salian died by suicide, her father has moved the High Court alleging she was gang-raped and murdered.
During the hearing, a division bench of Justices Bharti Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande raised concerns over the police procedure, asking why a criminal case was not registered after the family expressed suspicion. Justice Dangre also questioned the postmortem findings, asking how a person who allegedly fell from the 14th floor of a residential building could have no visible injuries recorded on the body.
Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad. The police conducted two separate inquiries, concluded that her death was a case of suicide, and registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR).
Public Prosecutor Shishir Hire told the court that witness statements supported the police’s conclusion that Salian died by suicide and said photographs showed a head injury. However, the counsel appearing for Satish Salian argued that photographs initially shared by the police showed no head injuries and alleged that evidence was subsequently fabricated.
The bench also questioned why the police had not provided basic documents, including the Accidental Death Report (ADR), to the petitioner, observing that there appeared to be no reason to withhold such records when no criminal investigation was pending.
Satish Salian’s petition seeks a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into his daughter’s death and urges that a criminal case be registered against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray. He has also alleged that political influence was used to cover up the incident. Thackeray has denied the allegations.
The High Court has posted the matter for further hearing on August 24.
