Nearly half a decade after the tragic deaths of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager, Disha Salian, the case has resurfaced with startling new demands. Disha’s father, Satish Salian, has moved the Mumbai High Court, questioning the earlier closure of the case and demanding an interrogation of Aditya Thackeray, son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. His move has reignited public curiosity and raised fresh suspicions about the deaths that once sent shockwaves through the nation.
In June 2020, India was gripped by the tragic and mysterious deaths of Disha Salian and Sushant Singh Rajput. Disha, a young and ambitious celebrity manager, reportedly fell from the 14th floor of a Mumbai apartment. Merely a week later, Sushant was found hanging in his Bandra residence. The eerie proximity of these deaths fuelled a media storm, leading to rampant speculation about foul play. However, despite the initial uproar, the Mumbai police swiftly closed Disha’s case as an accidental death and later declared Sushant’s demise a suicide.
During the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government—comprising the Shiv Sena (under Uddhav Thackeray), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Congress—investigations into these cases faced severe roadblocks. While a few fearless TV channels, particularly Republic TV, persistently questioned the official narrative, much of the mainstream media, often labelled as ‘Lutyens media,’ chose to align with the state’s version of events. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) eventually took over the case, but progress stalled, leaving many unanswered questions lingering in the public domain.
In an exclusive interview with Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami, Satish Salian finally voiced his long-held suspicions. He admitted that he had initially refrained from questioning the police’s conclusions due to immense political pressure. He further revealed that a high-ranking official had warned him against speaking to the media, while a senior leader from the Shiv Sena had personally urged him to let the matter rest.
The most sensational aspect of Satish Salian’s plea is his direct demand for an interrogation of Aditya Thackeray. He alleges that Aditya’s name, which had surfaced in various independent media investigations, was deliberately buried by authorities protecting influential figures. He now wants a fresh probe to uncover the truth behind his daughter’s death and any possible links between the two high-profile deaths.
At the height of the controversy, multiple theories circulated regarding Disha’s death. Some reports suggested she was pushed from the building after an altercation at a party attended by influential people, including Aditya Thackeray. Others believed that Sushant, known for his intelligence and outspokenness, had started piecing together information about Disha’s death and was silenced before he could act. Though these claims were never substantiated with concrete evidence, they gained significant traction in public discourse.
Despite mounting public pressure and calls for transparency, the MVA government not only dismissed these theories but also closed the investigation into Disha’s death in 2021, citing a lack of evidence. This decision only deepened suspicions about a possible cover-up.
The political backdrop to these events cannot be ignored. Uddhav Thackeray’s break from the BJP to form an alliance with ideologically opposite parties—Congress and the NCP—was seen by many as an opportunistic move. This political maneuvering eventually led to an internal rebellion, resulting in the collapse of his government. Eknath Shinde, a loyalist of Bal Thackeray’s original ideology, joined hands with the BJP and took over as Chief Minister, with Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.
However, despite the change in government, the cases of Disha and Sushant remained untouched, possibly due to their transfer to the CBI. The agency, burdened with numerous high-profile cases, made little headway, and the deaths faded from public discourse.
With Satish Salian now knocking on the doors of the judiciary, the pressure is mounting once again. The Mumbai High Court’s response to his plea could force the Maharashtra government, led by Shinde and Fadnavis, to take a stand. The state police also retain the right to reopen a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe to assist the CBI.
The crucial question now is whether the state machinery will finally act on these long-standing suspicions. Will Aditya Thackeray be called for interrogation? Will the case, once dismissed as a suicide, be re-examined with fresh eyes?
One of the most significant driving forces behind this case has been relentless media scrutiny. While most mainstream outlets distanced themselves, Republic TV and a handful of independent journalists kept the issue alive. Now that fresh allegations have surfaced, will other media houses find the courage to push for justice? Or will this case once again be drowned in political power plays and bureaucratic red tape?
As the legal battle unfolds, the coming months will determine whether justice prevails or if Disha Salian and Sushant Singh Rajput remain just another statistic in India’s long list of mysteries.