Nagpur: Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has denied a bail application from Rajeshsingh Surajsingh Thakur, a key accused in the sensational murder case of Sana alias Heena Khan. Thakur has been in jail for 15 months following his arrest in connection with the case, and the court deemed the nature of the offense serious enough to reject his plea for regular bail.
The case began when Sana’s mother, Mehrunisha Khan Mobin, reported her daughter missing on August 1, 2023. Sana had allegedly travelled to Jabalpur, but subsequent attempts to contact her were unsuccessful. Reports indicate that prior to her disappearance, Sana had been involved in a contentious relationship with a co-accused, leading to a quarrel that raised suspicions about her safety.
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On August 2, 2023, Sana communicated with her aunt, stating she had arrived in Jabalpur, but after that, her phone was turned off. The co-accused, who had initially claimed that Sana visited his home, later indicated that she had left following a heated argument. Notably, both their phones were switched off around that time, raising further concerns. Investigations revealed disturbing details about the case.
It was discovered that during an altercation, the co-accused allegedly assaulted Sana with a metal baseball bat. Thakur is accused of collaborating with the co-accused to dispose of Sana’s body in a lake along with other incriminating evidence. Consequently, Thakur faces multiple charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including conspiracy, murder, and destruction of evidence.
The High Court emphasised the circumstantial evidence presented during the investigation, noting a pattern of continuous communication between Thakur and the co-accused . While the direct testimony of the co-accused may not be admissible in court, the evidence suggests that Sana had indeed visited him on the day of her disappearance. Witness statements further indicated that the co-accused’s vehicle had bloodstains, which were subsequently cleaned.
The court concluded that the existing evidence sufficiently demonstrated Thakur’s involvement in the crime. Justice Joshi-Phalke determined that it would not be appropriate to grant bail, given the gravity of the allegations and the ongoing investigation, as the victim’s body has yet to be recovered.
Senior counsel SV Manohar with Advocate U.P. Dable appeared for the applicant. Senior counsel Govt. Pleader D.V. Chauhan and Advocate R.R. Vyas represented the State and assisted the prosecution respectively.
