CBI Disha Salian case: Evidence 'like death nail' for accused, says lawyer
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Advocate Nilesh Ojha, representing Satish Salian — father of the late celebrity manager Disha Salian — has claimed that the evidence his legal team plans to submit to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will be “like a death nail” for those named in the First Information Report (FIR). The development follows the CBI's registration of an FIR on Monday in connection with Disha's death, acting on a directive from the Bombay High Court.
What the Lawyer Said
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Ojha stated: “The evidence we will submit tomorrow (Wednesday) along with the covering letter is against Aaditya Thackeray and the others. The CBI has even more evidence, but this evidence is like the ‘death nail’.” He further noted that the evidence also includes material “related to late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.”
The lawyer underscored the significance of the Bombay High Court order, saying: “80 per cent of our work in this case has already been done through the High Court order. The High Court order itself lists ten points that proves the police report to be incorrect and makes it clear that this is not a case of suicide, but of foul play.”
Ojha added that the case file also incorporates eyewitness testimony and what he described as an extra-judicial confession from former Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze, among other material. The rest of the details, he said, were provided directly by Satish Salian and are now registered in the FIR.
Father's Demand for Justice
Earlier on Tuesday, Satish Salian expressed confidence in the CBI's investigation, but made clear that he will find closure only when those he holds responsible are convicted and punished. “I am at peace that the case has been registered, though I will be happy only when the accused are punished,” he said. He named Aaditya Thackeray, Sooraj Pancholi, Dino Morea, their bodyguards, and others in his public remarks, demanding the harshest possible sentence.
Satish Salian also reiterated his long-standing allegation that influential figures in Mumbai conspired to cover up the incident. He named former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and Sachin Waze as individuals who, in his account, “shielded the others.”
Background: The CBI's Entry Into the Case
Disha Salian, who had served as the manager of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died in Mumbai in June 2020 — just days before Sushant's own death. Her passing, initially recorded as an accidental fall, has been a subject of legal dispute for years. The Bombay High Court recently intervened and ordered the CBI to register an FIR, a significant procedural step that brings federal investigative resources to bear on the matter for the first time. The court's order reportedly identified ten specific points casting doubt on the original police conclusion.
Key Figures Named in the FIR
The FIR, as described by the Salian family's legal team, names Aaditya Thackeray, Sooraj Pancholi, Dino Morea, former Commissioner Param Bir Singh, and ex-officer Sachin Waze, among others. All of the named individuals have not, as of this report, been charged or convicted, and the allegations against them remain under investigation. The CBI is expected to formally receive the evidence from Ojha's team on Wednesday.
What Happens Next
With the CBI now officially seized of the matter, the investigation is expected to be more wide-ranging than the initial local police inquiry. The submission of evidence on Wednesday will mark a key early test of the case's strength. Legal observers note that the Bombay High Court's characterisation of the original police report as flawed significantly raises the stakes for all parties involved. How the CBI handles the additional material — including the claimed extra-judicial confession — will shape the direction of proceedings in the weeks ahead.