Murder trial of Infosys software engineer Rasila Raju to resume on Thursday

The accused was present in the court of additional sessions judge R M Malwankarwho will be conducting the trial

The trial in the murder case of Infosys software engineer Rasila Raju OP, will resume on Thursday, as the public prosecutor and two witnesses failed to appear before the court of additional sessions judge R M Malwankar on Tuesday.

The trial was to commence on Tuesday, however, public prosecutor in the case, advocate Ujwal Nikam was not present in court (PICTURE FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY)

Bhaben Bharali Saikia, a security guard, stands accused of murdering 24-year-old Raju on January 29, 2017. She was strangled to death with a computer cable near her workstation on the Infosys Pune campus, according to police. Raju had allegedly reprimanded Saikia for staring at her days before she was murdered.

The trial was to commence on Tuesday, however, public prosecutor in the case, advocate Ujwal Nikam was not present in court. Nikam had requested the court to reschedule the hearing on Wednesday, but, defence advocate BA Aloor is scheduled to travel to Baramati on Wednesday, hence, the case will now resume on Thursday.

“There is no circumstantial evidence against Saikia. The CCTV footage shows that the accused was not present at the spot, though he was present in the vicinity, as he was the security guard at Infosys,” said Advocate Aloor.

The two witnesses who will be called in the court include the complainant in the case and a punch (government witness), according to the defence lawyer.

Saikia, a native of Assam has been charged under sections 302 (murder) and 201 (attempt to destroy evidence), among others, of the Indian Penal Code.

He was remanded to judicial custody and has been lodged in Yerawada Central Jail ever since. While Saikia had been working with the company for a year, Raju was working at the Hinjewadi campus for six months before the murder, said police.