Victim’s father files writ seeking fresh probe

Not satisfied with the Pune Police investigation into the Juhi Prasad murder case, the victim's father has filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court requesting a fresh investigation and transfer of the case to a central investigating agency. The petition is scheduled for hearing on March 4 by Justice Ranjit More.

"I have filed a writ in the Bombay High Court seeking justice for my daughter and a fair probe," Prasad told Newsline on Friday. Advocate Harshad Nimbalkar will argue on behalf of Prasad.

Prashant Patil, who drafted the writ petition for Prasad, said they were forced to approach the HC as the Pune Police investigation was lopsided. "There are many lacunae in the investigation. Even the complainant believes that the lacunae are deliberate. Prasad had raised the issue of excluding Nimesh Sinha's (Juhi's fiance) name from the FIR on several occasions. Police have made him a witness while we want him to be prosecuted. The crime took place at his apartment and it was he who opened the door for Anushree Kundra, who allegedly entered the house with a fuel can and set Juhi on fire," Patil said.

Earlier, Prasad, a Patna-based advocate, had alleged that the crime branch was 'trying to protect' Sinha and had not named him in the FIR despite a trial court order to thoroughly investigate Sinha's role. He said police also refused to check Sinha's call records despite several requests.

Juhi (26), a Delhi-based lawyer, was found with over 90 per cent burns at the Pune residence of Nimesh Sinha, her fiance, on October 13. She died 10 days later in a hospital. Police arrested Anushree (Sinha's former girlfriend) from Bangalore for allegedly setting Juhi on fire. Sinha, who suffered minor burns, was named the prime witness. Kundra had been on the run and surrendered only after a month of the incident.

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