Mumbai Scrap Collector Walks Free After Staying 7 Years In Jail For Murder Case He Wasn't Involved In

Mumbai: In a case that has raised serious concerns over prolonged incarceration and alleged investigative lapses, a 37-year-old scrap collector, Sandeep Chaurasiya, has been released on bail after spending nearly seven years in prison in connection with a murder case he claims he had no role in.

Chaurasiya, who was arrested by Vakola Police Station in June 2019, walked out of Arthur Road Jail on April 9, 2026, after completing 2,559 days in custody. His release came following legal intervention by the NGO Dard Se Hum Dard, which works with undertrial prisoners.

Recounting his arrest, Chaurasiya said he was picked up while sleeping near railway tracks and initially mistook the officers for thieves. “I didn’t even know why I was arrested. It was only months later, after seeing the chargesheet, that I learned I was accused of murdering a man named Suresh Bahra,” he said, as quoted by Mid-day, maintaining that he had never known the victim.

Was Arrested In Another Case In 2017

He further alleged that he was not informed about the charges for several months and was directly sent to judicial custody after being produced in court. According to him, this was not his first encounter with the law. In 2017, he had been arrested in an assault case involving a man identified as Raju Kunthe, also known as 'Mama.' The case was later converted into a murder charge after the victim allegedly died from a head injury sustained during a scuffle.

During the recent bail hearing, the defence highlighted multiple discrepancies, including gaps in the investigation, missing documents, and major delays in trial proceedings. The court eventually granted bail on a bond of Rs 15,000 on August 28, 2017.

Advocate Mangesh Sondalkar, associated with the NGO, pointed out that the chargesheet in the 2019 case was incomplete and that the post-mortem report was missing for nearly seven years. “Serious discrepancies were found between preliminary and final autopsy reports,” he said, as quoted by Mid-day, adding that even RTI requests for documents were initially rejected before the court intervened.

Chaurasiya has also alleged procedural lapses, claiming he was never taken to the crime scene nor involved in key investigative steps such as the panchnama. “I was just sent to jail from court,” he said.

Faced Severe Mental Trauma In Jail

Describing his time in prison, Chaurasiya spoke of severe mental trauma, stating that he faced social isolation and struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts as fellow inmates labelled him a murderer. The case has once again spotlighted the plight of undertrial prisoners and raised critical questions about accountability within the criminal justice system.

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