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Murdered techie’s family asks how Supreme Court has acquitted alleged killer after Bombay High Court had categorised case as ‘rarest of rare’
Chandrabhan Sanap was booked in 2014 for the rape and murder of the software engineer. File pic
The Supreme Court has acquitted Chandrabhan Sanap, accused of raping and murdering a 23-year-old software engineer in Kanjurmarg in January 2014 and dumping her burnt body in the bushes near the Eastern Express Highway. The victim’s family, devastated by the verdict, expressed a deep sense of betrayal
and hopelessness.
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“This judgment tells offenders they can commit the most heinous crimes and still walk free. We feel completely let down—it’s as if justice is no longer for the victims,” the victim’s uncle told mid-day.
After Sanap was booked in 2014 for the rape and murder of the software engineer in Mumbai, a special women’s court sentenced him to death. He appealed the verdict in the Bombay High Court, which upheld the penalty. Later, the accused moved the Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, more than a decade after the crime, the apex court directed the Maharashtra government to release Sanap, stating that “he is not guilty of the offence, hence acquitted.” The court cited significant lapses in evidence and procedural shortcomings as reasons for overturning the conviction.
Reacting to the verdict, the victim’s uncle said, “We are not even asking the court to hang him for the grievous crime he committed. But leaving him scot-free after what he did to our daughter? That’s unbelievable and heartbreaking as a family member. Our daughter was raped, murdered, burnt, and the high court had categorised this as a ‘rarest of the rare case.’ Yet, the Supreme Court has acquitted him. It’s an insult to injury, a complete dismissal of our pain over losing her. Most importantly, it’s a green signal to all accused out there who will now think they can commit gruesome crimes and easily walk back into society.”
He added, “The Mumbai Police, under Commissioner Rakesh Maria at the time, did a commendable job tracing the accused after months of investigation. Evidence, including the TCS ID card, was recovered from the accused, and yet the Supreme Court says there are loopholes in the evidence. The government should stop using slogans like ‘Beti Bachao’ because it’s meaningless on the ground. We have lost our beti, and she is never coming back. His conviction would have been a testament to ensuring such horrors don’t happen to other daughters.”
The family is now considering filing a review petition, though they admit the process is emotionally and mentally taxing. “It’s not easy—losing our daughter, fighting for justice for over a decade, hearing such a verdict, and now trying to stay strong to fight back again. But we are thinking of meeting with our lawyer to discuss filing a review petition,” the victim’s uncle added.
23
Age of the victim
Case background
On January 16, 2014, the victim's partially burned and decomposed body was discovered near the Eastern Express Highway. Investigations revealed that the 23-year-old software engineer had been travelling from Vijayawada to Mumbai and had arrived at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) railway station on January 5. The autopsy report stated that she died from head injuries, smothering, and genital trauma.
After two months of rigorous investigation, police traced and arrested Chandrabhan Sanap, who was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), and 201 (causing the disappearance of evidence). According to the police, Sanap, intending to rob the woman, posed as a cab driver offering to drop her at her hostel in Andheri. He then told her he had a bike, not a car, and convinced her to trust him. When she hesitated, he grabbed her bag and placed it on his bike after which she gave in and decided to travel with him, according to the police investigation.
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