'Glaring Discrepancies In Police Investigation, More Questions Than Answers': Bombay High Court While... - Live Law

**Bombay High Court orders CBI probe into death of Disha Salian, citing investigative lapses** The Bombay High Court on Thursday set aside the Maharashtra Police’s inquiry into the death of Disha Salian, the former manager of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, and directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the case. In a detailed judgment, the bench observed “glaring discrepancies” in the police‑led forensic report, the timeline of events, and the handling of crucial evidence, stating that the investigation “has generated more questions than answers.” The court also noted that the family’s repeated pleas for an impartial probe had been ignored, prompting the intervention of the higher judiciary.

Salian was found dead in a hotel room in Mumbai on June 19, 2022, just a few days after Rajput’s own death in June 2020. Initial police conclusions pointed to suicide, but her family contested this, alleging that the forensic analysis was inconsistent with a self‑inflicted injury and that key CCTV footage had been either missing or tampered with. Over the past six years, multiple petitions were filed by Salian’s relatives and legal counsel, highlighting procedural irregularities such as the absence of a post‑mortem report from a qualified forensic pathologist and the failure to register a First Information Report (FIR) in a timely manner. The High Court’s order effectively nullifies the prior police findings and mandates the CBI to re‑examine all evidence, interview witnesses afresh, and submit a comprehensive report within three months.

The ruling has been welcomed by Salian’s family and a coalition of civil‑society groups demanding transparency in high‑profile death investigations. Lawyers representing the family hailed the decision as “a long‑overdue step toward justice” and urged the CBI to act swiftly to prevent further erosion of public confidence in law‑enforcement agencies. Political commentators, while refraining from overt partisanship, emphasized that the case underscores broader concerns about the adequacy of state‑run investigative mechanisms, especially when celebrity connections and media scrutiny are involved. The CBI’s forthcoming report is expected to shape not only the fate of the Salian case but also set a precedent for handling similar controversies in the future.