Aaditya Thackeray has called the CBI FIR in Disha Salian’s death case an act of political vendetta. But the FIR, registered after a Bombay High Court order, has put fresh focus on why Thackeray and actor Dino Morea have been named.
BY PC Bureau
September 14, 2026: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian, naming several prominent figures, including former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray and actor Dino Morea.
The FIR, registered on September 14, comes days after the Bombay High Court directed the CBI to take over the investigation following a petition by Salian’s father, Satish Salian. Aaditya Thackeray has described the move as an act of political vendetta, reviving a controversy that has persisted since Salian’s death.
But why do Thackeray and Morea figure in the FIR, and what exactly does the CBI allege?
What happened to Disha Salian?
Salian, a celebrity manager who had worked with several Bollywood personalities, died after falling from a high-rise building in Mumbai’s Malad area during the night of June 8-9, 2020.
Mumbai Police initially registered an accidental death report and later maintained that Salian had died by suicide. The circumstances surrounding her death, however, became the subject of intense speculation, particularly after actor Sushant Singh Rajput died six days later.
The CBI, which separately investigated Rajput’s death, subsequently concluded that he had died by suicide. Its closure report is yet to receive final judicial approval.
Why did the case return to the spotlight?
Salian’s father later approached the Bombay High Court, alleging that his daughter had been gang-raped and murdered and that evidence had been suppressed or manipulated to present her death as suicide.
On September 2, the High Court ordered the CBI to investigate the allegations. The court made clear, however, that no individual should be treated as an accused merely because his or her name appeared in the allegations. The CBI was directed to examine the evidence and proceed in accordance with law.
The agency subsequently recorded Satish Salian’s statement before registering the FIR.
Why is Aaditya Thackeray named?
Aaditya Thackeray figures in the FIR primarily because of allegations made by Salian’s father.
Satish Salian has repeatedly alleged that Aaditya was present at a gathering attended by his daughter shortly before her death and has sought an investigation into his alleged role in what he claims was a larger conspiracy.
The allegations have not been established in court.
Thackeray has denied any involvement and has characterised the CBI investigation as politically motivated, arguing that the case is being revived to target him.
His name in the FIR, therefore, does not amount to a finding of guilt or even establish that the CBI has concluded he committed an offence. The investigation is intended to determine whether there is evidence supporting the allegations.
Why does Dino Morea figure in the FIR?
Actor Dino Morea is also named in the FIR in connection with the allegations made by Salian’s father.
Satish Salian has sought an investigation into Morea’s alleged role and his presence in the events surrounding the night of Salian’s death. The CBI has included him among the people whose alleged involvement is to be examined.
As with Thackeray, being named in an FIR does not by itself establish criminal culpability.
🚨 BIG DEVELOPMENT IN THE DISHA SALIAN CASE 🚨
The CBI has officially registered an FIR in the death case of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, following directions from the Bombay High Court. The FIR reportedly names Aaditya Thackeray, Dino Morea,… pic.twitter.com/832UUYBzb1
— Buntyy Bagga (@bagga_buntyy1) September 14, 2026
Who else appears in the case?
The FIR contains a much wider list of names, including Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik, actor Sooraj Pancholi, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and several police and forensic officials.
It also refers to allegations involving senior police officers and investigators, including former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh and former police officer Sachin Vaze, besides officials connected with the original investigation.
The allegations include claims of conspiracy, destruction or suppression of evidence and an attempt to establish a false narrative around Salian’s death.
These remain allegations that the CBI will have to test against evidence.
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What did the Bombay High Court say?
The High Court’s order is significant because it did not treat the allegations made by Salian’s father as established facts.
Instead, it directed the CBI to conduct an evidence-based investigation. If the agency finds sufficient material indicating a cognizable offence, it can proceed according to law. If the allegations are not substantiated, the investigation can ultimately be closed.
That distinction is important because the FIR marks the beginning of a criminal investigation, not its conclusion.
Political vendetta or search for justice?
The case has now reopened one of the most politically charged controversies surrounding the deaths of Disha Salian and Sushant Singh Rajput.
For Salian’s family, the CBI investigation represents a fresh opportunity to establish what happened on the night she died.
For Thackeray, the FIR is being portrayed as another attempt to revive old allegations for political reasons.
The central question for the CBI, however, is narrower: whether the evidence supports the allegations made in the case.
Until that investigation is completed, the names appearing in the FIR should not be treated as proof that those individuals committed the offences alleged against them.
