In a rare and emotional fight for justice, a Navi Mumbai-based mother has successfully cleared the name of her deceased daughter, who was initially blamed for a fatal road accident in 2024. The mother, Baby Ramesh Jadhav, had moved the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) after discovering that her daughter, Rajnandini Ramesh Jadhav, was falsely accused of causing the accident.
The case dates back to 2024, when the Khandeshwar police registered a case against Rajnandini, alleging that she was driving rashly and had collided with a Maharashtra State Transport (ST) bus. The complaint, lodged by the ST bus driver, Shrikrishna Mahadev Meshram, claimed that Rajnandini was at fault.
However, Baby Jadhav, grieving her daughter’s death, questioned why Rajnandini — who had died in the accident — was made an accused without proper investigation. She filed a formal complaint with the SHRC, demanding accountability and justice for her daughter.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the SHRC directed the Khandeshwar police to submit a detailed report. A thorough inquiry followed, including the review of CCTV footage and other evidence. In a significant turn of events, the police found that it was actually the ST bus driver, Meshram, who had been driving in a rash and negligent manner — leading to the fatal crash that claimed Rajnandini’s life.
According to the inquiry report submitted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2), “Initially, based on the complaint lodged by the ST driver, a case was registered against Rajnandini. However, during the course of investigation and after reviewing CCTV footage, it was found that the bus driver was at fault. Consequently, on 27.09.2024, the driver was made the accused in the case.”
The police informed the SHRC that the investigation had concluded and a final report had been submitted to the court, with Meshram charged for his role in the accident. They also confirmed that Baby Jadhav had been officially informed about the corrected status of the case.
With the revised investigation offering a sense of closure and justice, the SHRC has now disposed of the matter, bringing relief to the bereaved mother who fought to restore her daughter’s dignity.
