No interim bail to Chintan, Rajbhar

MUMBAI: The Mumbai sessions court rejected the interim bail pleas filed by Chintan Upadhyay and his accomplice Pradeep Rajbhar, accused of murdering Upadhyay’s wife Hema, who was an artist, and her lawyer Haresh Bhambani. Both Upadhyay and Rajbhar had applied for interim bail in view of the pandemic.

The court, however, rejected their pleas, observing that they were safer in prison.

The court observed that authorities have taken utmost care to ensure that Covid-19 did not spread in jails across the state. “As compared with the people in the society who are usually exposed to outside social atmosphere, the accused can be observed as comparatively secure in jail,” read the order.

The two had filed separate pleas for interim bail in view of the spread of Covid-19. The court said that it will try to expedite the trial. “The court is trying its level best to expedite the trial and to dispose of the matter. The routine is coming to the normal situation and either in this week or in next week, court will start full fledged working,” the court said in the order.

Besides, the court on Tuesday asked the prosecution to bring witnesses to testify from the next hearing scheduled on July 27. The prosecution so far has 26 witnesses. However, the trial has been stalled in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As per the prosecution’s case, Hema Upadhyay and Bhambani were allegedly smothered to death by Vidhyadhar Rajbhar on December 11, 2015, with the help of other accused persons, allegedly at Chintan Upadhyay’s behest. The next day, a garbage collector discovered the bodies in a nullah. Upadhyay was arrested on December 22, 2015, for the murders.