Minor Rape Murder Case: Kalyan Court Remands Accused Couple In 14-Day Judicial Custody

A court in Thane district, Maharashtra, has remanded a couple in judicial custody until January 18 for their alleged involvement in the abduction, rape, and murder of a 12-year-old girl.

The accused, Vishal Gawli and his wife Sakshi Gawli, were arrested for their role in the heinous crime that has sent shockwaves through the community.

According to the police, Vishal Gawli abducted the girl from Chakki Naka area of Kalyan on December 23, with the help of his wife. He allegedly raped and murdered the minor, before dumping her body in Bapgaon on Kalyan-Padgha road. The police have been investigating the case and have made significant progress in gathering evidence.

The couple’s police remand ended on Saturday, after which they were produced in the court of District and Additional Sessions Judge VA Patravale in Kalyan. The police had sought a three-day extension of their remand, but the court rejected the request.

Judge Patravale remanded the couple in 14-day judicial custody, despite the victim’s lawyers, Neeraj Kumar and Sanjay Mishra, urging the court to extend their police remand for further investigation. The court’s decision is seen as a significant step towards ensuring that justice is served.

In a major breakthrough, the police have recovered Vishal Gawli’s mobile phone, which he had sold to a lodge owner in Shegaon in Buldhana district for Rs 5000. The accused had initially claimed that he had disposed of the phone at Kasara Ghat. The lodge owner has been contacted to ensure the phone is handed over for probe purposes, and a motorcycle linked to the crime has also been impounded.

Vishal Gawli’s lawyer, Sanjay Dhanke, claimed that the accused’s family was receiving threats from self-proclaimed vigilantes. He sought police protection for the kin of the couple.

The case has sparked widespread outrage, with local residents demanding justice for the victim. The police are working to gather more evidence and build a strong case against the accused. The investigation is ongoing, and the court’s decision to remand the couple in judicial custody is seen as a step in the right direction.

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