Disha Salian case: Father says police botched the probe

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray during a press conference last year. File pic/Ashish Raje

The father of Disha Salian, actor Sushant Singh Rajput's former manager who died off a fall from the 14th floor of a Malad building in June 2020, has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court alleging a cover-up in the probe into her death.

Salian died on June 8, 2020. Rajput died by suicide on June 14 at his Bandra home. Salian's father Satish has claimed that the two deaths are related and the police covered-up the involvement of certain high-profile people, including Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray.

The petition alleges that Mumbai police suppressed key evidence early in the investigation and hastily closed the case as a suicide without properly considering forensic evidence, eyewitness accounts, and circumstantial proof.

CBI probe demanded

Salian is demanding a CBI probe and custodial interrogation of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, including scientific tests such as brain mapping and lie detector tests. He asserts that former NCB director Sameer Wankhede uncovered evidence linking Rhea Chakraborty with Thackeray. The petition alleges that Aaditya, implicated in drug and child trafficking, was informed of Disha's intent to expose the network, leading to her murder. It also accuses influential political figures, media entities, and police officials of fabricating a false narrative to protect their interests.

Salian further claims that officers from Malvani police station, along with Disha's fiancé Rohan Rai and then-Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, pressured him into accepting the official version that dismissed his daughter's death as an accident. His petition cites various news reports, YouTube discussions, and statements from Union Minister Narayan Rane and Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane, who have described the death as murder and hinted at further evidence.

According to the petition, a party was held at Disha's Malad apartment on the night of June 8, 2020, attended initially by her fiancé and close friends. The gathering later escalated with the unexpected arrival of high-profile individuals and their bodyguards. The petition alleges that Disha was brutally gang-raped - restrained and violently assaulted - with eyewitness accounts and forensic inconsistencies supporting this claim, despite a rushed cremation that bypassed proper post-mortem analysis.

It further contends that she was murdered to silence her, as the perpetrators feared she would expose their crimes. The petition claims senior police officers and politicians were immediately involved in a cover-up, making calls to suppress evidence, control the media narrative, intimidate eyewitnesses, and close the case without proper investigation. It alleges that her body was moved and staged, with its condition and positioning inconsistent with a natural fall from a high-rise. Eyewitnesses claim that no blood was found at the alleged impact site or on her clothes, contradicting the theory of a fall from the 14th floor. The official case file is also said to contain doctored images falsely depicting the body in a pool of blood.

The petition highlights that mobile location records placing the accused at the scene were ignored, and digital forensic evidence - including phone records and text messages - was allegedly erased or altered to support a false suicide narrative. The police are accused of deliberately delaying the post-mortem for over 50 hours, purportedly to manipulate and destroy evidence of gang rape, resulting in a fabricated report that merely noted head trauma and multiple injuries.

Evidence against suicide

It also asserts that forensic evidence disproves the suicide theory. In genuine high-rise suicides, the impact force would cause heavy bleeding, multiple fractures, and internal damage. However, the petition argues that no such injuries were found on Disha or at the impact site. Even the clothes of those who transported her to the hospital reportedly showed no traces of blood.

"The delay was clearly aimed at destroying crucial forensic evidence, particularly that of sexual assault, to shield the main accused, Aaditya. The investigating officer attempted to justify this delay by citing COVID-19 protocols, but this contradicts how the Mumbai police handled other deaths at the time. For instance, the post-mortem of Sushant Singh Rajput was conducted on the same day of his death, June 14, 2020. Yet, for a female victim with possible evidence of sexual assault, the post-mortem was delayed by more than 50 hours. This clear discrepancy exposes the dishonesty of the investigating officers," the petition states.

The petition also alleges the involvement of actress Rhea Chakraborty in the conspiracy and calls for her custodial interrogation, including brain mapping, lie detector, and narco-analysis tests. It highlights that Rhea abruptly left Sushant's residence on June 8, 2020 - the same day Disha died - and blocked his number, effectively cutting off communication.

Eyewitnesses claim that after Disha's death, Sushant was visibly terrified and was reportedly sleeping in his parking area due to distress. He frequently changed his SIM cards, fearing for his life. The petition states that Sushant suspected a powerful group was targeting him and considered holding a press conference to expose the truth.

The petition claims Rhea Chakraborty abruptly left Sushant Singh Rajput's residence on June 8, 2020 - the same day Aaditya Thackeray allegedly visited Disha Salian's flat. It cites phone records showing Rhea and Aaditya were in touch that day despite their claims of not knowing each other.

The petition alleges that Disha confided in Sushant about a crime she had witnessed - an elite party involving the sexual assault of a minor. Sushant, shaken, allegedly planned to expose it but was betrayed by Rhea. After Disha's death, he became paranoid, changed SIM cards frequently, and even avoided sleeping in his bedroom. He reportedly told his staff he feared being killed.

Citing former NCB officer Sameer Wankhede, the petition claims he found digital evidence linking Aaditya Thackeray and other Bolloywood celebrities to alleged murder site. It further alleges Wankhede was "harassed" and politically targeted for exposing high-profile drug links and digital records of Aaditya and Rhea's interactions.

"I am currently not in the state and was unaware of this. I just found out today that such a petition has been filed. The matter is sub judice, and I will abide by the court's directions," Sameer Wankhede told mid-day. "The petition is in process and has gone to the clerk of the high court. It will be listed soon. We want justice for Disha Salian's family, and we have also included an investigative article from mid-day that highlights lapses in the forensic examination and delays in submitting samples," said Adv Nilesh Ojha, representing Salian's family.