Hema Upadhyay, Bhambhani murder: Judge who recorded confession of accused likely to testify today

The ad hoc sessions judge who had recorded the confessional statement of Pradeep Rajbhar, an accused in the double murder case of artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani, is likely to be examined as a prosecution witness before the Dindoshi sessions court on Friday

The ad hoc sessions judge who had recorded the confessional statement of Pradeep Rajbhar, an accused in the double murder case of artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani, is likely to be examined as a prosecution witness before the Dindoshi sessions court on Friday.

Hema Upadhyay HT Archives

Prasad Kulkarni was a metropolitan magistrate when he recorded the confession of the accused in March 2016. The judge was to testify on Monday, but his testimony was postponed to Friday as the confessional statement was misplaced at the relevant time. After the hearing was completed on Monday, it was found in the registry of the sessions court where it was sent for making certified copies.

According to the prosecution, Hema and advocate Bhambhani were reported missing on December 12, 2015. Hours later, around 6.30 pm, Kandivali police station received information about two huge brown cardboard boxes being thrown in a drain near the burial ground at Dahanukar Wadi in Kandivali West. Upon opening those two parcels, police found the bodies of Hema and Bhambhani.

Police further claimed that during the probe they collected material that clearly indicated that Chintan had hired Pradeep Rajbhar, Azad Rajbhar, Vijay Rajbhar, and Shivkumar Rajbhar to eliminate his ex-wife and her lawyer, as he had grudge against, purportedly for “making his life miserable”. The four are from a village in Uttar Pradesh.

In his confessional statement recorded on March 8, 2016, Pradeep had said that he was jobless at that time and had sought help from Chintan. He was then called to Mumbai through Vidyadhar Rajbhar, one of Chintan’s workmen, and others. He was directed to make a phone call to Hema posing as Chintan’s ex-servant and inform her that he had some videos, which she could rely upon in her legal battle with her estranged husband.

Pradeep has also narrated the entire plot, purportedly hatched by Chintan through Vidyadhar and others.

Chintan was arrested on December 22, 2015, and was granted bail by the Supreme Court on September 17, 2021.