Colleague, accused of murder, seeks interim bail

Khushi Sahjwani, 42, accused in the murder case of B-Blunt salon staffer and her colleague Kirti Vyas, has sought temporary bail before the sessions court on grounds of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, the civic body had issued a fresh circular and had warned citizens to wear masks in public places or face penalties. The civic body slapped a fine of Rs 100 for not wearing a mask.

In a one-page plea sent to the court through email, she has cited the overcrowded conditions in prison and the High Power Committee’s guidelines to decongest prisons as grounds seeking interim bail, her advocate Wahab Khan said.

The prosecution is expected to file its response on her plea on July 7.

Sahjwani has been in custody since her arrest on May 5. In a 962-page chargesheet filed against her and her colleague Siddhesh Tamhankar, 28, filed in July 2018, the police have charged them with offences of murder, kidnapping for murder and destruction of evidence, among other sections of the IPC.

Vyas had been reported missing on March 16. The police chargesheet relies on the last-seen theory wherein she was seen entering Sahjwani’s car near her house in Grant Road. They also found blood stains of Vyas in Shajwani’s car. The DNA report showed the blood as that of Vyas.

Police claim that Sahjwani and Tamhankar were having an af fair. Vyas, who worked as a finance manager at B-Blunt salon, had served a notice to Tamhankar, unhappy with his work. March 16 was his last day at work - the day that the duo allegedly killed Vyas.