Exclusive: Wankhede to help CBI unravel mystery around Disha’s death, writes Dr. Kiran Deep

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Salian’s family asks the CBI to summon the former NCB Zonal Director as a key witness and examine alleged digital, communication and location records linked to the case

Former NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede could help the CBI unravel the circumstances surrounding Disha Salian’s death, with her family urging the agency to summon and examine him as a key witness.The family of late celebrity manager Disha Salian has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to immediately summon and examine former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede as a key witness in its investigation into her death.

The request was made by Salian’s father Satish Salian through his advocates Abhishek Mishra  in a detailed representation submitted to the CBI. A copy of the document is available with The North News. The family has urged the investigating agency to obtain from Wankhede all relevant information, records and digital evidence allegedly in his possession, including mobile-tower location data and communication records relating to persons whose roles are being examined in the case.

The representation claims that Wankhede has information arising from his tenure as NCB Zonal Director and investigations connected with NCB Crime Nos. 15 and 16 of 2020, including matters involving Rhea Chakraborty and allegations concerning Aaditya Thackeray and Dino Morea.

According to the document, Wankhede is also alleged to have information relating to mobile-tower locations of Aaditya Thackeray, Dino Morea and Sooraj Pancholi during the intervening night of June 8 and 9, 2020, when Disha Salian died after falling from a building in Mumbai.

The advocate has asked the CBI to establish the relevance and authenticity of such information through a lawful investigation rather than treating the allegations as established facts.

The representation also refers to chats allegedly recovered during earlier investigations. It claims that some of these records concern alleged links between Rhea Chakraborty and Aaditya Thackeray, while other records allegedly relate to Rhea’s brother Showik Chakraborty and her father in connection with the separate investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

The advocate has claimed that Wankhede had earlier forwarded relevant information to the CBI during its investigation into the Sushant Singh Rajput case. They have alleged that some of the material was not acted upon by the then investigating officer.

The representation further alleges that the NCB did not effectively pursue certain allegations concerning Aaditya Thackeray in Crime No. 15 of 2020 and refers to subsequent claims relating to alleged bribery and benami transactions. These allegations have not been established by the investigating agency or a court.

The Salian family has also asked the CBI to assess the threat perception to Wankhede, advocate Ashutosh Pathak, an eyewitness identified as X1 and other material witnesses.The advocates have urged the agency to ensure that no person connected with the case is threatened, influenced or intimidated and that witnesses are provided adequate protection where necessary.

The representation says Wankhede should be summoned without delay and that all material in his possession should be obtained, preserved and independently verified.It also refers to submissions made by Wankhede’s counsel before the court, according to which Wankhede would provide detailed information and evidence relating to the matter whenever summoned by the CBI.The family has particularly sought examination of call-detail records, mobile-tower dumps, location records and other electronic evidence.

The representation argues that properly proved call-detail records and tower-location data can constitute relevant electronic and circumstantial evidence when establishing whether a person was present at or near a particular location. It therefore asks the CBI to immediately secure and examine any relevant electronic records before they are lost or altered.

The Salian family advocate has also asked the CBI to examine the roles of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and other officials in the reinstatement of suspended police officer Sachin Vaze shortly before Disha Salian’s death.According to the representation, Vaze was reinstated during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequently posted to the Crime Intelligence Unit.

The advocates have questioned the timing of his reinstatement and asked the CBI to investigate whether the decision had any connection with the events surrounding Salian’s death.The family has sought production of the original reinstatement file, official notings, the reinstatement order, proceedings of the competent police establishment authority and communications between the Chief Minister’s Office, Home Department and senior police officers.

It has also asked the CBI to record the statement of Devendra Fadnavis and verify his earlier public statements concerning Vaze’s reinstatement. The advocate has further urged the CBI to examine the roles of Uddhav Thackeray, Anil Deshmukh and other officials and, where legally warranted by evidence, take action in accordance with law.

The representation ultimately seeks immediate investigative action against several people, including Aaditya Thackeray, Param Bir Singh, Sachin Vaze, Shailendra Nagarkar, Arjun Rajane and Uddhav Thackeray, including custodial interrogation where the CBI considers it justified by the evidence.

The demands form part of the family’s submissions to the CBI and do not constitute findings of guilt.

The CBI registered a case into Disha Salian’s death on September 13, 2026, following the Bombay High Court’s direction. The investigation remains underway, and the allegations contained in the family’s representations are subject to verification by the investigating agency.

Wankhede, meanwhile, has told media that he has not received any official summons or communication from the investigating agency so far, although he is aware that his name figures in the FIR-related material.

However, Aaditya Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray and Sooraj Pancholi have separately denied the allegations against them, saying they have been falsely implicated in the case and have no connection with Disha Salian’s death.