The Bandra Magistrate, on Tuesday, extended the police custody of the two arrested accused -Shree Jogdhankar and Diya Padalkar- till January 14 in connection with the brutal murder of Jhanvi Kukreja in Khar on the New Year’s Eve. According to the police, the motive behind the brutal murder of the 19-year-old is yet to be unearthed. Shree and Diya are still keeping mum about the incident. The police also received Jhanvi's postmortem report, which states that she had sustained 48 injuries on her body during the incident.
Advocate Trivankumar Karnani and advocate Gayatri Gokhale, who appeared on behalf of Jhanvi's parents, submitted to the court that the extended police custody is imperative in this matter to ascertain the motive. "Jhanvi had sustained 48 injuries on her body, stating the brutality of the murder, revealed the autopsy report. Also, it is imperative to extend the police custody to unearth the motive of the crime and interrogate as to how 48 injuries were infected into the victim," said Karnani.
Both the accused were produced before the magistrate court at 2.15pm on Tuesday. During the remand hearing, police informed the court that they are also trying to trace the taxi and its driver, which was hired by the prime accused Shree Jogdhankar after he left the premises of Bhagwati Heights on Khar's 14th Road on New Year’s Eve. Police sources claimed that they have been trying to get the number of the taxi taken by Shree, whose statement will be recorded to corroborate the accused's movements.
Meanwhile, Shree's legal counsel, advocate Ganesh Gupta, said that his client's custody is no longer required on substantial grounds. "Shree complained in the court that the police has been forcing him to sign a statement on a blank paper. We have also argued to summon the doctor who discharged Shree from the hospital and ascertain if he was fit to be released or not," said Gupta.
The advocates of both accused argued at length and the investigation does not show any progress. The investigation agency was given sufficient time, but the accused are allegedly not cooperating with the probe, read the remand order.
Khar Police is awaiting the forensic examination of the accused duo, as the mysterious injuries sustained by Shree are largely unaccounted for. "Shree had sustained a head injury, rib fracture, scratches on the back and hand injury, which does not add up to the sequence of events," said the official.
