September 16th 2025.
On Wednesday, the advocate representing UBT leader Dhananjay Bodare argued for his anticipatory bail application in court. He stated that while there were some allegations against Bodare, the police had no concrete evidence to prove his involvement in pushing advocate Sarita Khanchandani towards suicide. The defence also criticized the police investigation, pointing out that even the FIR did not contain any evidence to support the abetment charges against Bodare.
Advocate Narendra Soneji, speaking on behalf of Bodare, stated that the defence was waiting for the police to present a single allegation that could prove Bodare's responsibility in abetting suicide. He emphasized that there was not a single charge registered against Bodare and simply being involved in the case was not enough to prove his guilt. Soneji also mentioned that allegations of provocation, harassment, or encouragement to suicide do not necessarily prove the severe charges against the accused. It is crucial for the police to establish the accused's state of mind, as specified by previous judgments of the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court. Not every case can be labeled as abetment to suicide, and it is essential to prove the level of torture inflicted on the victim.
Soneji further argued that in this case, there was a direct allegation against the police themselves. The deceased had warned the police that she would commit suicide if they registered the alleged fake FIR that Giya Gopalani wanted to file against her. In such a situation, the police should be held responsible for her death. However, the investigation conducted by the Vithalwadi police was inadequate, as they failed to collect the CCTV footage from Sarita's house, where Giya was staying. Despite the presence of CCTV cameras, the footage was never retrieved.
It has been two weeks since advocate Sarita Khanchandani's death, but no arrests have been made yet. Multiple anticipatory bail pleas have been filed, including one by Dhananjay Bodare. The defence highlighted that Bodare's name was not mentioned in the FIR initially, despite his past conflicts with Sarita. It was only after the discovery of her suicide note that he was named as an accused. Therefore, with no evidence against Bodare, the defence is seeking anticipatory bail.
Sarita Khanchandani, a renowned environmental activist, died by suicide on August 28 in Ulhasnagar. A suicide note was later found in her office, naming Dhananjay Bodare, Giya Gopalani, Ulhas Falke, Shivani Falke, and Raj Chandwani as responsible for her death. For exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai and surrounding regions, visit https://budgetproperties.in/.
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