Rasila Raju murder: Team leader recounts events leading to discovery of body

While his statement was recorded with the help of prosecutor Ujwal Nikam, Kothari also faced cross-questioning from defence lawyer Biju Aloor

PUNE Abhijeet Kothari, 31, a resident of Wadgaon Sheri, who worked as the team lead for Rasila Raju OP, 24, in 2017, when she was found murdered on the Hinjewadi campus of Infosys, recalled the events of the day on Thursday.

Raju was on the second shift, 2pm-11pm, on the January 29, 2017, which was a Sunday, which meant the rest of the office was next to empty, according to Kothari (PICTURE FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY)

Kothari was recording his statement as the complainant in the case in the court of Additional Sessions Judge RU Malwankar. While his statement was recorded with the help of prosecutor Ujwal Nikam, Kothari also faced cross-questioning from defence lawyer Biju Aloor.

“We recorded his statement. Questioning and cross questioning happened. We have presented evidence that was found that day including a pen, two blank papers, two mobile phones, a debit card, her purse and blood stains,” said Nikam.

“No one can confirm that he was inside and the CCTV does not show him in the room. The security guard on duty (Vasant Singh) was in the vicinity. Access is not possible without the help of the company central security. Plus, Rasila was having a fight with her superiors because she wanted transfer to Bengaluru. Any of her colleagues could have done it. There is nothing incriminating against my client,” said Aloor.

Raju was on the second shift, 2pm-11pm, on the January 29, 2017, which was a Sunday, which meant the rest of the office was next to empty, according to Kothari.

“Two people in the Bangaluru team were working. One of the Bengaluru employees informed me on messenger, as well as on call, that Rasila Raju was not working or answering calls for the past hour. I tried to call her on her personal number as well as the office phone, but could not reach her,” said Kothari while answering prosecution’s questions.

Around 7:30pm, Kothari claimed to have called the office landline and asked Vasant Singh, the guard on-duty to check the office. However, as the guard did not have access, he had to acquire an access card from the company security downstairs. After some time, Kothari called again and had the guard keep his call on hold while he checked on Rasila. That is when Singh reported to have found Rasila dead on the floor of a room with a yellow Lan cable around her neck.