Mumbai

Disha Salian’s father Satish Salian, accompanied by his lawyer Nilesh Ojha, will on Thursday submit a pen drive containing what they describe as evidence related to the death of the late celebrity manager to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Mumbai and seek swift action against those they have named in their complaint.

Speaking to ANI, Ojha said the material includes video recordings, witness accounts and digital evidence, and claimed that multiple eyewitnesses could establish the sequence of events surrounding Salian’s death.

He also claimed the material being submitted includes evidence concerning the presence of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and others at the location, claims that remain allegations and have not been established by a court.

“We have all the witnesses. We mentioned three or four witnesses in our letter,” Ojha told ANI, adding, “And among them, there is a complete video recording of one eyewitness explaining what happened, how the murder happened, and how the body was placed there.”

Ojha further claimed the material includes an eyewitness video and additional evidence relating to witnesses referred to in the High Court's order. He specifically referred to a person identified as Naved, whom he described as a worker of Congress MLA Aslam Sheikh.

Reciting what he said was Naved’s account recorded in police records, Ojha said: “I was standing there. We had parked the vehicle there and were sitting there. Disha fell from above in front of us. When we saw her, she had fallen face-down, wearing a red-coloured T-shirt and cream-coloured pants.”

Ojha alleged that this account contradicts CCTV footage and other records. He also referred to differing descriptions of Salian’s clothing given by different individuals and said those discrepancies had been submitted to the CBI.

He further claimed that a video recording of another witness had been included in the pen drive.

“First of all, in any case involving murder, gang rape, or similar crimes, what is important? An eyewitness,” Ojha said, adding, “And when there is no eyewitness, there can be digital evidence such as mobile-tower location.”

Ojha also cited the Ashwini Bidre case while explaining his reliance on mobile-tower location evidence. Ojha said he expects the CBI to act promptly after receiving the material and referred to provisions and guidelines that, according to him, require action when evidence emerges during an investigation.

“As per the rules, once today's formalities concerning the pen drive are completed, the CBI should begin arresting the accused immediately, without wasting time,” he said.

He also referred to what he described as an investigation timeline beginning with the recording of Satish Salian’s statement on September 13. According to Ojha, the CBI has 60 days from that date for investigation, arrests, custody and filing of the chargesheet, subject to the applicable legal provisions. Ojha said that if additional accused emerge during the investigation, further investigation could be undertaken in accordance with law.

Satish Salian, said the material being handed over includes “videos, photographs, discussions, phone conversations, everything”.

According to Salian, the evidence is against “Aditya Thackeray, Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi, and the Commissioner, Rhea Chakraborty.” Salian said he expected the CBI investigation to move quickly after the evidence was submitted.

“I am expecting it to happen within seven or eight days,” he told ANI.

The claimed evidence submission comes amid a legal dispute between Satish Salian and Aaditya Thackeray over a Rs 500-crore defamation notice.

Ojha said there had been no response to the earlier defamation notice but that a subsequent response from Thackeray’s side had now been received. According to Ojha, the response maintains that Thackeray did not know Disha Salian.

“They have said that they do not know Disha. That has now become their new defence,” Ojha said.

He argued that the response strengthened his side’s legal position and said his team would seek to establish the presence of the persons named in their allegations through witnesses and other evidence.

Meanwhile, Thackeray’s legal counsel, Advocate Anshuman Sinha, has rejected the allegations.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Sinha said Thackeray’s post on X did not name Satish Salian and maintained that there was no evidence supporting the allegations.

“Regarding the tweet Thackeray posted, he did not mention anyone by name. Essentially, he was simply reiterating his stance that he neither knew Disha Salian nor had ever met her... therefore, the question of defamation does not even arise,” Sinha said.

He added, “Our position remains that there is no evidence to support the allegations. It is a matter for the investigation. Let the investigation proceed; the truth will eventually come to light.”

Thackeray’s formal legal response rejected the Rs 500-crore demand, stating that the characterisation of his posts as false, malicious or defamatory of Satish Salian was rejected and that there was no basis for an apology, withdrawal, payment or other compliance.

"The characterisation of the posts as false, malicious or defamatory of Shri Satish Salian is rejected in full. The demand for Rs 500 crore as "compensation and damages" is arbitrary and unsupported by any pleaded basis, computation or identified loss. No apology, withdrawal, payment or other compliance is called for," the response stated.

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Disha Salian was found dead on June 8, 2020, in Mumbai. Her death had initially been recorded as an Accidental Death Report (ADR). 

She died days before actor Sushant Singh Rajput, whose death also triggered a high-profile investigation and public controversy.