NEW DELHI: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday registered an FIR in connection with the death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, days after the Bombay high court ordered a central agency probe into the case.The FIR follows the high court’s September 2 order directing the CBI to register a case and conduct a fresh investigation into Salian’s death. The court had criticised the Mumbai Police for failing to register an FIR despite the investigation continuing for nearly six years, observing that it “raises more questions than answers”.The bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale had said a case investigation could not continue for an inordinately long period and directed the CBI to appoint a suitably experienced and senior officer to investigate the matter.The court also directed the Mumbai Police to hand over all case papers to the CBI and record the statement of Salian’s father, Satish Salian. It made clear that registration of the FIR did not mean that anyone would automatically be treated as an accused.“Nobody shall be treated as an accused unless, in the opinion of the investigating officer, there are sufficient grounds to raise reasonable suspicion against him depending on the material collected during the investigation,” the court said.Salian, 28, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from a residential building in Mumbai’s Malad area. Mumbai Police had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and, following an inquiry, concluded that her death was a suicide.The high court pointed to what it described as “glaring discrepancies” in the police investigation, including the timing of the spot panchnama and questions concerning injuries sustained by Salian.
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Salian’s father had approached the high court alleging that his daughter was raped and murdered and seeking a CBI investigation. He had also sought an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, though the high court refrained from making findings against any individual.Salian had briefly worked as Rajput’s manager. Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020, six days after Salian’s death. A separate CBI probe into Rajput’s death was ordered, with the agency later filing a closure report stating that he died by suicide.