Hema Upadhyay case; Double murder accused custody extended

On Monday, judicial custody of all accused in the case involving murder of artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Haresh Bhambani, has been extended to February 8.

Amarendra Mishtra, advocate of Chintan Upadhyay, Hema’s estranged husband and an accused in the case, filed an application in court for sealing of the Juhu apartment by police which is jointly owned by Chintan and the deceased Hema. On Monday, Chintan and other accused, Shivkumar Rajbhar, Vijay, Pradeep and Aazad Rajbhar, were produced before the metropolitan magistrate court via video conference. The key accused in the case, Vidhyadhar Rajbhar, is still at large. Hema’s family has announced Rs 1 lakh reward for information on Vidhyadhar.

Advocate Mishra said, “We have filed an application to seal two premises, which include their jointly owned apartment and a studio. As we are concerned that false evidence can be planted there to frame Chintan.”

The court will hear the application this week and a decision will be taken after the hearing. According to artist friends of Chintan, his Juhu flat is accessible to Hema’s family and they often visit the place so the flat should be sealed by police as Chintan is behind bars Borivali court witnessed high drama when one of Chintan’s advocates, Jaishri Bhardwaj, and Sanchu Menon, who is representing Hema’s family in court, had a heated argument.