CBI officer Seema Pahuja, who led RG Kar case, to oversee Disha Salian death probe

The CBI has assigned officer Seema Pahuja to oversee its fresh investigation into the death of celebrity manager Disha Salian. The probe follows a Bombay High Court order asking the CBI to file a fresh FIR in the case.

In Short

• Seema Pahuja to lead fresh CBI probe into Disha Salian death
• Salian died after falling from a building in Mumbai in June 2020
• Pahuja has handled Hathras, Unnao and RG Kar rape cases

Decorated CBI officer Seema Pahuja will oversee the agency's fresh investigation into the death of Disha Salian, the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Pahuja, 59, is currently posted as an SP with the CBI's Special Crime Unit in Delhi and has handled several high-profile cases.

Salian, 28, died after falling from a high-rise building in Mumbai's Malad area on June 8, 2020. Her death came days before Rajput, who died on June 14. Mumbai Police had treated Salian's death as a suicide, while a Maharashtra SIT later found no foul play.

Pahuja was part of the CBI investigations into the 2020 Hathras rape-murder case and the 2017 Unnao rape case, involving expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. She also served as the investigating officer in the case of 2024 rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar hospital in Kolkata.

Pahuja was also involved in the 2017 Gudiya rape-murder case in Shimla, in which a schoolgirl was raped and killed in Shimla's Kotkhai. The CBI investigation eventually led to the conviction of a woodcutter in the case.

Pahuja received the gold medal for Best Investigating Officer in 2021 for her investigative work.

CBI TO HANDLE DISHA SALIAN DEATH CASE

With the CBI now taking up the Disha Salian death case, Seema Pahuja will now oversee the investigation.

The case was revived after Disha Salian's father, Satish Salian, approached the Bombay High Court alleging that his daughter had been raped and murdered and that evidence had been suppressed.

The Bombay High Court on September 2 directed the CBI to register an FIR and conduct a fresh probe, citing discrepancies in the earlier investigation. The CBI registered an FIR on September 13 based on the complaint.

The FIR includes allegations of murder, gangrape, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and fabrication of records. The CBI will now investigate the circumstances surrounding Salian's death and examine the allegations afresh.

The CBI FIR mentions Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray among several people whose roles require investigation.

It also names his father, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, along with actors Rhea Chakraborty, Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi and others. However, being named in the FIR does not mean they have been made accused, and the CBI is yet to determine their roles.

- Ends