Chintan Upadhyayay files discharge plea in Hema murder case

Mumbai: Artist Chintan Upadhyay - who is accused of having played a role in the December 2015 murder of his former wife Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani – on Friday filed a discharge application in the Dindoshi court on grounds that there was no concrete evidence against him in the case.

His lawyer Raja Thackarey said, “There is no concrete evidence against him (Chintan) and all the evidence which prosecution has collected is fabricated. Therefore, we are seeking discharge from the case.” The court has asked prosecution to file a reply on the application and kept the matter for hearing on August 21.

On December 11, 2015, the bodies of Hema and Harish were found in a nullah. The crime branch has so far arrested Chintan, Vijay Rajbhar, Pradip Rajbhar and Shivkumar Rajbhar.  In March 2016, the crime branch filed a chargesheet and recorded statements of 60 witnesses. Absconding accused Vidyadhar Rajbhar’s mother allegedly informed that her son had called and confessed to having killed Hema and Harish at Chintan’s behest. The cops believe the divorce dispute is  main motive behind the killing and attached a decree passed by the family court in 2014 awarding divorce in favour of Chintan as evidence. Hema challenged the order in the high court and the court ordered Chintan to pay Rs 40,000 per month as maintenance.

Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on July 17 opened the murder case under section 226 of the code of criminal procedure against Chintan and began his argument with a statement given by accused Pradip that Chintan was the main conspirator.