Charge sheet filed in minor girl’s kidnapping, rape and murder in Kalyan

The prime accused, Vishal Gawali, a known criminal from the Kolsewadi area, was arrested in Shegaon, Buldhana, while his wife, Sakshi Gawali, was apprehended in Kalyan city for helping him in disposing off the body. The case had sparked intense anger among the residents of Kalyan East.

THANE: The Kolsewadi police in Kalyan East on Friday filed charge sheet against a couple arrested for allegedly kidnapping, raping and killing a 12-year-old girl. The body was found dumped in bushes near Bapgaon village in Bhiwandi tehsil on December 24, a day after the girl was kidnapped from near her house.

The case had sparked intense anger among the residents of Kalyan East. (HT)

The prime accused, Vishal Gawali, a known criminal from the Kolsewadi area, was arrested in Shegaon, Buldhana, while his wife, Sakshi Gawali, was apprehended in Kalyan city for allegedly helping him in disposing off the body. The case had sparked intense anger among the residents of Kalyan East.

The Kolsewadi police had registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

During investigation, the victim’s body was found dumped in Bapgaon within the limits of Padgha police station. Launching a thorough technical investigation, the Kolsewadi police arrested the accused.

A 948-page chargesheet has been filed in a local court against the arrested couple. According to the police, the charge sheet consists of over 200 pages of forensic evidence. The investigation team has provided a detailed timeline of the entire episode, supported by CCTV footage - the circumstantial evidence that links the accused to the crime.

The footage captures the accused at key locations before and after disposal of the girl’s body. Additionally, the charge sheet includes witness testimony, panchnama, and other crucial pieces of evidence, said a police officer. The accused’s previous criminal records have also been attached to the charge sheet, the officer added.

The girl’s father, still recovering from the trauma of the brutality suffered by his minor daughter, said the police have done their best in the investigation. “I just want this case to be fast-tracked, with the strictest punishment for the accused who believe they can still get out on bail,” said the distraught father.

Accused Gawali, with a criminal history of six prior offenses, including molestation, armed robbery, and assault, was released on bail at the time of the crime. Known for terrorising the Kalyan East area, he had been previously convicted in two cases.

According to the police, the 12-year-old girl had left her home Kolsewadi at around 4pm on December 23. Gawali, a resident of the same locality, noticed the girl and took her to his house where he raped and murdered her, and with help from his wife, dumped the body at an isolated spot near Bapgaon.

The police said, after committing the brutal murder of the minor girl, Gawali fled to Shegaon, where his wife, Sakshi, has family ties. The police tracked his movements, and he was apprehended from a local salon.