Bombay HC refuses interim bail for Chintan Upadhyay, co-accused – Hindustan Times

The Mumbai sessions court recently rejected a plea for interim bail filed by artist Chintan Upadhyay and his accomplice Pradeep Rajbhar, who are accused of murdering Chintan Upadhyay’s wife Hema Upadhyay, who was an artist as well, and her lawyer Haresh Bhambani.

Both Chintan Upadhyay and Rajbhar had applied for interim bail in view of the Covid-19 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. “Rather, 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,” reads the order.

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The two had filed separate pleas for interim bail in view of the prevailing spread of Covid-19. The court has said that the court will try to expedite the trial. “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 before the court from the next hearing, which is scheduled on July 27. The prosecution so far has 26 witnesses. However, due to the pandemic the trial has been stalled.

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. Chintan Upadhyay was arrested on December 22, 2015, for the murders. While one of the accused, Vidhyadhar, continues to be on the run, the other accused in the case – Shiv Kumar Rajbhar, Pradip Kumar Rajbhar, Vijay Kumar Rajbhar and Azad Rajbhar– were arrested during the probe.