Booked for abetting murder, sisters seek bail to tend to pet

Asha Srivastava and her four sisters, booked for allegedly conspiring with their brother Sanjeev Srivastava to kill his wife and disabled son, had filed the application in high court after the police sealed the house with the dog inside. Urvi Mahajani reports.

They had been detained for murder conspiracy but they have filed for anticipatory bail to tend to their pet dog at home.

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Asha Srivastava and her four sisters, booked for allegedly conspiring with their brother Sanjeev Srivastava to kill his wife and disabled son, had filed the application in high court after the police sealed the house with the dog inside.

The high court asked the police to open the seal and release the dog on Friday night. The police can conduct the search, prepare the panchnama and re-seal the house, the court said.

Shirish Gupte, counsel for the sisters, argued that the flat had nothing to do with the accident so there was no need to seal it. “However, at time of sealing, their dog has also been sealed,” argued Gupte.

Stating that the offence was serious, the HC refused to grant them relief, and allowed the sisters to send their representative who would take the dog.

On March 9, Sanjeev, Ritu and their three-year-old son Rushabh were returning home after dinner when their car broke down on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway near the Thane creek. Sanjeev had claimed that he got down to fix the car when Ritu jumped in the creek along with Rushabh.

On April 20, Ritu’s brother, Pankaj Bhatnagar, complained that Sanjeev and his five sisters had conspired to kill her and the boy. He also alleged Sanjeev had an affair with one Sumita and the couple often had fights over it.

The police arrested Sanjeev on April 20. His five sisters were later booked in the same case.