Hema Upadhyay murder: Dindoshi court gets six-month extension
The additional sessions judge at Dindoshi sought further extension of time, as the prosecution is yet to examine a few more witnesses in support of their case
Mumbai The Supreme court (SC) has granted the Dindoshi sessions court six more months to conclude the trial of artist Chintan Updhyay, who is accused of killing his wife artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani.
The additional sessions judge at Dindoshi sought further extension of time, as the prosecution is yet to examine a few more witnesses in support of their case.
The SC had asked the sessions court to conclude the trial in nine months in 2019. However, as it could not be concluded, it has time and again granted the sessions court extensions.
The prosecution had on Friday clarified that it would be examining five to seven more witnesses. So far, 46 witnesses have been examined by the prosecution.
On Friday, the court said that since the case was time-bound and the period was already over, considering the urgency, the prosecution shall examine their witnesses as early as possible.
Hema and Bhambani were allegedly smothered to death by Vidhyadhar Rajbhar on December 11, 2015, with the help of other accused allegedly at Upadhyay’s behest. The next day, a garbage collector discovered the bodies from a nullah.
Upadhyay was arrested on December 22, 2015 for the murders. While Rajbhar continues to be absconding, the other accused in the case – Shiv Kumar Rajbhar, Pradip Kumar Rajbhar, Vijay Kumar Rajbhar and Azad Rajbhar were arrested.