Latest news with #Gharat
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Dr. Payal Tadvi suicide: HC slams Maha govt over SPP removal, seeks to know if he wishes to return
The Bombay High Court on Monday questioned the Maharashtra government over the manner in which erstwhile Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Pradip Gharat was removed from the trial in the case related suicide of Dr Payal Tadvi in 2019, allegedly due to harassment by her seniors. The court asked the government lawyer to check with Gharat and inform if he was willing to come back to represent the state as SPP in the case. A bench of Justices Ravindra V Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad was hearing plea by Abeda Tadvi, mother of late Payal, who had challenged the March 7, 2025 notification issued by state law and judiciary department that removed Gharat as SPP with immediate effect and appointed another lawyer Mahesh Mule. The mother alleged that the decision was 'arbitrary and illegal' and will lead to delay in trial and risk of losing crucial evidence' and violative of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Payal's three seniors at TN Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital Dr Bhakti Mehare, Dr Ankita Khandelwal and Dr Hema Ahuja are named as accused in the case. Gharat in February had filed an application before sessions court to add the then head of gynaecology department at the Hospital Dr Yi Ching Ling as accused for overlooking the harassment and ragging complaint by Tadvi. The trial court on February 28 ordered Ling's addition as an accused in abetment of suicide case. 'It is very easy to say that the public has great trust in the judiciary. These are testing times These are examples where it is tested. Now the impression of the petitioner is, for some reason, because Mr. Gharat acted strictly, he was removed. When order comes in your favour, Gharat is back and when order is adverse, Gharat is removed,' Justice Ghuge orally remarked. Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) SV Gavand for the government submitted that the state government was well within its right and domain to take a decision of removal and claimed that Gharat's appointment too was made by state on its own and not at the mother's instance. However, advocate Lara Jesai for the petitioner mother denied the same and submitted that she too had filed an application for his appointment. The bench expressed displeasure over the justification given by the government to remove Gharat as SPP and said that the same was 'not in a good taste'. The judges questioned the government lawyer, 'Gharat is a seasoned prosecutor. Such a senior advocate who has worked so hard for the state, got you (state government) so many convictions… He put so much hard work in that journalist's (J Dey murder) case. That time he was nice… Entire trial was conducted by him and you got a conviction for nine accused. Who is this officer who writes like this? Therefore, the petitioner wants us to scrutinise the decision (to remove Gharat as SPP) because her faith in the law is shaken.' 'We know it is in your domain but should be done judiciously,' the HC remarked. 'Show him what is written (justification for removal) and make an impression whether he would want to come back,' it told APP Gavand. The court also sought to know who had made an application for Gharat's removal as SPP in January, and along with the file of such correspondence and posted further hearing to August 13.
Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
HC asks state to see if Pradeep Gharat will return as SPP in Dr Payal Tadvi case
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to approach senior advocate Pradeep Gharat to check if he would consider returning as special public prosecutor (SPP) in the 2019 Dr Payal Tadvi suicide abetment case, after his sudden removal earlier this year triggered objections from the victim's family. Mumbai, India - July 21, 2022: Lawyer Pradeep Gharat poses for the photos at his residence, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO) On March 7, 2025, the state government removed Pradeep Gharat from the case. In his place, the state had appointed advocate Mahesh Manohar Mule as special public prosecutor. Dr Payal Tadvi's husband, Dr Salman Tadvi and her mother Abeda Salim Tadvi opposed the new appointment. A division bench of justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad was hearing a petition filed by Dr Tadvi's mother, Abeda Tadvi, challenging the state's decision to replace Gharat with advocate Mule. The petition alleged that the change was made without explanation, in violation of procedure, and without consulting the family. 'Such a senior advocate who has brought you so many convictions. The petitioner's faith in you has been shaken,' the bench remarked, questioning the state on the reasons for Gharat's removal. The judges also asked if any senior officer had personally taken the police into confidence to ensure cooperation in the sensitive case, noting that such matters needed to be handled 'judiciously.' In July, the court had asked the government to justify the decision. The state later filed an affidavit, but the bench said its contents 'did not inspire confidence.' Although the judges initially felt Gharat might be unwilling to return, they directed the state to check if he would reconsider. The matter will be heard again on August 12. Dr Payal Tadvi, 26, was a postgraduate medical student from the oppressed Tadvi-Bhil scheduled tribal community in Jalgaon district. She was enrolled in the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital. On May 22, 2019, she died by suicide, after months of caste-based harassment from three senior resident doctors – Dr Hema Ahuja, Dr Bhakti Mehare and Dr Ankita Khandelwal. The three accused were arrested under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, and are currently out on bail. Despite the passage of more than six years, the trial has yet to commence. In November 2024, while serving as SPP, Gharat sought to add Dr Yi Ching Ling Chung Chiang — then head of the department — as a co-accused for allegedly ignoring repeated complaints by Dr Tadvi and her family. The move was based on findings of the college's anti-ragging committee and an early complaint from the family. On February 28, 2025, a special court allowed the application. Just a week later, the state abruptly removed Gharat from the case — a decision that was not explained in the official notification nor conveyed to the Tadvi family, prompting Abeda Tadvi's legal challenge.
Hindustan Times
04-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
HC questions state over removal of prosecutor in Payal Tadvi case, seeks affidavit
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Thursday pulled up the Maharashtra government for abruptly removing special public prosecutor (SPP) Pradip Gharat from the case involving the abetment of suicide of Dr Payal Tadvi, without citing any reasons in its official order. The court directed the state to file an affidavit clarifying its stand. HC questions state over removal of prosecutor in Payal Tadvi case, seeks affidavit A division bench of Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice MM Sathaye was hearing a petition filed by Abeda Tadvi, mother of the deceased doctor, challenging the state's March 7 notification removing Gharat from the high-profile case. Dr Payal Tadvi, a 26-year-old postgraduate medical student who belonged to the oppressed Tadvi Bhil caste--an Adivasi Muslim community, died by suicide on May 22, 2019, allegedly due to caste-based harassment by three senior colleagues — Dr Hema Ahuja, Dr Bhakti Meher and Dr Ankita Khandelwal — at the Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital. The three were arrested under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, but are currently out on bail. The trial has not yet commenced. In November 2024, while serving as SPP, Gharat moved an application seeking to implead Dr Yi Ching Ling Chung Chiang — then head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department — as a co-accused, for allegedly failing to act on repeated complaints of harassment made by Payal and her family. The application, based on the report of the college's anti-ragging committee and an early complaint by the family, was allowed by a special court on February 28, 2025. Just a week later, the state removed Gharat from the case, replacing him with advocate Mahesh Manohar Mule — a decision that was neither explained in the notification nor communicated with the victim's family, prompting Payal's mother to move the High Court. During Thursday's hearing, the bench questioned the rationale behind the government's move. 'The complainant has confidence in this special public prosecutor. Why disturb the situation?' the court asked. Responding on behalf of the state, additional public prosecutor Shreekant Gavand said Gharat had allegedly been acting independently without consulting the investigating officer or keeping them informed of court proceedings. 'He took the decision of impleading the new accused on his own,' Gavand said. He cited Rule 4(3) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995, which permits the state to denotify a special public prosecutor if he fails to conduct the case with due care — provided reasons are recorded in the denotification order. But the bench noted that no such reasons were mentioned in the official order removing Gharat. 'You have simpliciter withdrawn him. The law requires you to supply reasons. Now, reasons cannot be assigned after the decision is taken,' the court observed. The state has now been asked to file an affidavit responding to the petition, explaining its decision to replace Gharat.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Not paid a single paisa for 2021 murder trial: Spl PP
Mumbai: Advocate Pradip Gharat, assigned as special public prosecutor in the trial against two accused of the murder of 19-year-old Jhanvi Kukreja in 2021, has formally informed the sessions court that he has not received his legal fees for the last four years. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Since I was appointed in the case in 2021 I have not been paid a single paisa. So far, 39 witnesses have been examined and three police officers remain. I had served them notice earlier too," Gharat said. He added that he had written to the senior inspector of Khar police station, where the case is registered, three times since March, but was given no information on when he would be paid. Gharat informed the court he has now issued a notice to police stating that if they don't respond about the pending dues, he would leave the case and may not attend the next hearing. The court has forwarded Gharat's written statement to the police station. Gharat further stated that this was not the first trial when his dues were unpaid or delayed. He said that he had to make similar complaints in another murder case that recently concluded. In April, dismissed police inspector Abhay Kurundkar (52) was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering assistant police inspector Ashwini Bidre-Gore and chopping up her body in 2016. Her body parts were never found. Similarly, in an economic offences case, he is owed dues since 2016, Gharat said. Kukreja, a psychology student, lived in Santacruz. In the wee hours of Jan 1, 2021, her body was found in a pool of blood on the ground floor of Bhagwati Heights building in Khar (W), where she was attending a New Year's Eve party. Kukreja's friends, Diya Padalkar and Shree Jogdhankar, were arrested for allegedly assaulting her on the building staircase and murdering her. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kukreja's final post-mortem examination report stated that she had suffered 48 injuries. Padalkar, who was Kukreja's neighbour and childhood friend, is out on bail, while Jogdhankar is still in jail. They have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Gharat is also appointed as special public prosecutor for CBI in the cases against gangster Chota Rajan. Rajan (69) is lodged in Tihar jail, where he is serving a life sentence for the murder of journalist J Dey in 2011.
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
New Year's Eve murder case: SPP says he has not been paid dues
Special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat Tuesday informed a court here, before which the trial in the New Year's Eve murder case of a 19-year-old is ongoing, that he has not been paid his dues. Gharat told the court during a hearing in the case that he has been appointed as the special public prosecutor (SPP) since 2021 but has not been paid even for a single hearing so far. He told the court that he had written thrice to the Khar Police senior inspector, and sent the officer messages about his dues but did not get any response. The court has directed that the pursis filed by Gharat informing it about the non-payment be forwarded to the Khar Police. Gharat informed the court that he has given the authorities 'sufficient time' to respond and if they fail to do so by the next hearing on June 16, he has no option but to step down from the case. On the intervening night of December 31, 2020 and January 1, 2021, Jhanvi Kukreja, a 19-year-old Khar resident, was allegedly murdered after a scuffle. The police arrested Kukreja's childhood friend, 19-year-old Diya Padalkar and 22-year-old Shree Jogdhankar, on charges of murder. Gharat was appointed as the SPP in 2021 and the trial in the case has been underway since 2023. On Tuesday, Gharat examined the 41st witness in the case. Following the examination, he informed the court that while he had conducted the trial which is almost at its fag end now with 3-4 witnesses remaining, he has not been paid his pending dues. Gharat told the court that if he does not receive any response, he will not be able to attend the next hearing. Gharat, who was the SPP in the Telgi scam, and is representing the CBI in the cases against gangster Chhota Rajan, including the murder of journalist J Dey where Rajan and others were sentenced to life imprisonment, was replaced earlier this year from case of the abetment of suicide of Dr Payal Tadvi. On March 7, the law and judiciary department issued the notification to cancel the appointment of Gharat with immediate effect and appointed another lawyer as the SPP. Appointed in many cases during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Gharat was also asked to step down in some cases of a political nature like the sedition case against former MP Navneet Rana.
