The Disha Salian death case, a lingering mystery since June 2020, took a dramatic turn Tuesday as her father, Satish Salian, secured the registration of a fresh First Information Report (FIR) with Mumbai Police, naming high-profile figures including Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, actress Rhea Chakraborty, and actor Dino Morea among the accused.
The FIR, accepted by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), reignites a saga that has gripped India, entwined with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput just days later.
Salian’s complaint, lodged with lawyer Nilesh Ojha, accuses Thackeray, Morea, actor Suraj Pancholi and his bodyguard, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh, dismissed cop Sachin Vaze, and Chakraborty of involvement in Disha’s alleged gang rape and murder, followed by a cover-up.
“This isn’t suicide—it’s a crime concealed by power,” Ojha told reporters outside the JCP office, alleging Singh masterminded the suppression, citing a 2020 press conference as evidence of fabricated lies to shield Thackeray.
Disha, Rajput’s former manager, died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a Malad high-rise. Initially deemed accidental by police, the case has festered with conspiracy theories, fueled by its proximity to Rajput’s June 14 death—ruled a suicide but still under CBI review. Salian’s Bombay High Court petition last week claimed Disha hosted a party that night, attended by Thackeray, Morea, and Pancholi, where she was assaulted and killed to silence her knowledge of a high-profile crime.
The plea, set for an April hearing, demands a CBI probe, doubting the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed in 2023.
Thackeray, dismissing the charges as a five-year smear campaign, vowed a court rebuttal, while Uddhav Thackeray called it political mudslinging by the BJP-led Mahayuti. Chakraborty, linked via Rajput’s case but never Thackeray’s per her 2020 statement, faces renewed scrutiny, as does Morea, a Bollywood veteran.
The FIR’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) reference to Thackeray’s alleged drug ties—unsubstantiated publicly—adds fuel to an already blazing controversy.
As Mumbai buzzes and political rivals trade barbs, the case—once closed—now threatens to unravel secrets at the nexus of power, fame, and justice.