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Disha Salian worked as a manager in Bollywood and had earlier been associated with actor Sushant Singh Rajput before his death in June 2020. Her name suddenly shot into the spotlight just days before Sushant died, when she passed away under circumstances that police had initially recorded as suicide.
What Happened That Night?
On June 8, 2020, Disha fell from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai’s Malad area, reportedly after attending a private gathering earlier that evening. Mumbai Police investigated at the time and, based on the statements and evidence they gathered, ruled it a case of suicide. No case was filed against anyone back then, and that finding stood without any official change for years.
The Aaditya Thackeray Angle
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s name entered the picture after Disha’s father, Satish Salian, moved court claiming his daughter had actually been raped and murdered rather than having taken her own life. He went to the Bombay High Court demanding a CBI probe and an FIR against Thackeray and a few others, also alleging that crucial forensic material had been withheld from the family.
The case has since taken a serious legal turn. Hearing the plea, the Bombay High Court directed the CBI to go ahead and register an FIR based on Satish Salian’s complaint, and asked that a senior officer be assigned to record his statement. The court, however, was quick to clarify that this wasn’t any kind of finding that Disha was raped or murdered; it was purely about whether there was enough ground to justify an FIR and a proper investigation.
Thackeray, through his lawyer, has firmly denied the allegations, arguing that Satish Salian was being used as a pawn by political rivals, and that the claims rested mostly on media reports and hearsay rather than real evidence.
Why It Keeps Coming Back?
Timing has a lot to do with why this case never really goes away. Disha died just six days before Sushant Singh Rajput, and people connected the two almost immediately. Sushant’s death brought in massive scrutiny, probes by the CBI, ED and NCB, and endless debate over nepotism and mental health in the industry. Since Disha had worked with him, her death kept getting mentioned alongside his, even though the two were investigated separately and no official link was ever found. Every year, the case resurfaces around the anniversary of Sushant’s death, or whenever new claims start doing the rounds online.
Where Things Stand
With the High Court now ordering a CBI-led FIR, this has moved from social media chatter into an actual legal proceeding, though the court itself has been clear it isn’t making any conclusive finding yet. Thackeray maintains the allegations are politically motivated. Given how sensitive this is, reporting should stick to verified court filings, not unverified online claims.
Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
