Kirti Vyas murder case: Trial to be concluded in six months

The Bombay High Court was recently informed that the trial against the two former staffers of B-Blunt salon for the murder of their colleague Kirti Vyas in March 2018 is likely to be completed within six months.

Special public prosecutor AM Chimalkar informed justice Bharti Dangre during the hearing in the bail plea of accused Siddhesh Tamhankar.

Chimalkar said that at present, six witnesses have been examined by the trial court. At present, the trial court is in the process of examining the seventh witness in the case. The prosecution intend to examine approximately 35 witnesses in total, he added.

Further, Chimalkar said that “every attempt shall be made to conclude the trial within a period of six months, subject to the co-operation being rendered by the counsel for the accused”.

Following the statement, Tamhankar’s advocate, Ashok Saraogi, sought permission to withdraw the bail plea. However, he sought liberty to file fresh bail plea in case the trial is not concluded within six months.

Tamhankar had sought bail stating that she was arrested in the case on May 4, 2018, and has been incarcerated since then.

Allowing Tamhankar to withdraw the bail plea, Justice Dangre said: “Reserving the liberty as prayed for, application is disposed of.”  

The trail court, last November, framed charges against the two accused – Tamhankar and Khushi Sahjwani – for kidnapping, murder and disappearance of evidence among other offences against two former B-Blunt salon staffers.

While, Tamhankar is in judicial custody, Sahjwani secured bail from the Supreme Court in July 2021.

The trial began early this year.

According to the prosecution, Tamhankar and Sahjwani were having an affair and Vyas, who worked as a finance manager in the salon, was planning to terminate Tamhankar, being unhappy with his work. She had served him a notice to that effect. On March 16, which was to be his last day at work, the couple had allegedly killed Vyas.

The prosecution relies on the last-seen theory wherein Vyas is seen as per CCTV footage, entering Sahjwani’s car near her residence in Grant Road area. The crime branch had also claimed to find blood stains in the car, with the DNA report showing that the blood was of Vyas. The finance manager’s body was never found.