Kopardi Rape-Murder Case: Bombay HC Reserves Verdict On Death Penalty Confirmation, Convict Appeals

Mumbai, October 7, 2026: The Bombay High Court reserved its judgment on the Maharashtra government’s confirmation plea seeking capital punishment and the appeals filed by convicts in the brutal 2016 Kopardi rape and murder case.

A bench headed by Justice Bharati Dangre concluded arguments after conducting a spot visit to Kopardi village in Ahilyanagar district. The judges inspected the physical setting, visibility, and witness positions to assess rival submissions regarding timelines.

Kopardi Rape And Murder Case

The case pertains to the horrific July 13, 2016, assault and murder of a 15-year-old girl. In November 2017, an Ahmednagar sessions court awarded death sentences to all three accused: Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume.

The proceedings against prime accused Shinde abated after he died by suicide at Pune’s Yerwada Central Jail in 2023, said senior advocate Rajiv Chavan, who was appointed as amicus curiae to assist the court.

State Seeks Confirmation Of Death Penalty

Seeking confirmation of capital punishment for the remaining convicts, the State argued that the heinous nature of the crime and the unbroken chain of circumstantial evidence warrant the ultimate penalty. The prosecution emphasised that while Shinde directly committed the sexual assault and throttling, Bhawal and Bhailume actively conspired and facilitated the crime under Sections 120-B and 109 of the Indian Penal Code.

The State submitted that the conduct of the co-accused from July 11 to July 13, 2016, including stalking, obstructing the victim, and acting as lookouts, established a complete sequence of events demonstrating joint criminality.

Relying on key testimonies—including the victim's classmate who detailed prior harassment and local witnesses who placed the accused together near the crime scene—the government urged that the brutal injuries inflicted on the minor reflect extreme depravity.

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Defence Challenges Convictions

Conversely, defence counsel highlighted that forensic tests, including tooth-mark analysis and DNA profiles, excluded Bhawal and Bhailume, arguing their conviction rests solely on constructive liability. The High Court will now deliver its verdict on the death confirmation and defence appeals.

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