Bombay High Court Intervention Unravels Murder Mystery After Six Months
In a case that highlights the critical role of judicial oversight, the Bombay High Court's intervention has led to the arrest of a suspect in the murder of a 25-year-old man from Kurla, who went missing six months ago. The victim's body remains missing, but police have cracked the case based on suspicious phone and UPI transaction trails.
Victim's Disappearance and Initial Police Inaction
Rahul Kharwar, a housekeeping worker, vanished on the evening of July 24, 2025, after receiving a phone call from his friend, Ankit Sahu, 20. His father, Yogendra Prasad, a 65-year-old daily wage labourer, immediately searched for him and approached the Vinoba Bhave Nagar police station. Despite his urgent pleas, a missing person's complaint was registered only late on July 25, with minimal initial investigation efforts.
Yogendra recounted making nearly 100 calls to his son's phone that night, but Rahul never answered. He alleged that police failed to act promptly, even waiting at the station until 3 am without any attempt to trace the phone. Over the following months, Yogendra sent letters to senior officials, including the Mumbai Police Commissioner and Chief Minister, but saw no serious progress in finding his son.
High Court's Habeas Corpus Petition Spurs Investigation
In December 2025, with legal assistance, Yogendra filed a habeas corpus petition in the Bombay High Court. This judicial step compelled the police to launch a fresh probe in January 2026. Investigators examined Rahul's call data records, mobile location, and bank transactions, uncovering crucial evidence.
Technical analysis revealed that Rahul and Sahu's phones were at the same location on a bridge over the Mithi river between 7 pm and 7:30 pm on July 24. Alarmingly, Rahul's phone remained active until the afternoon of July 25, and Rs 10,556 was transferred via his UPI account around 1 pm that day, after his suspected death.
Arrest and Motive Behind the Crime
Ankit Sahu was arrested in January 2026 after police discovered he had previously stolen Rs 29,500 from Rahul's PhonePe account under the guise of helping with provident fund withdrawals. Sahu, addicted to online gaming and burdened with debts of Rs 4-5 lakh, allegedly lured Rahul to the bridge on the pretext of returning money and pushed him into the river. He then used Rahul's phone to make UPI transactions post-mortem.
During initial inquiries, Sahu had claimed Rahul asked for Rs 3,000, which he refused, leading to Rahul leaving. Police accepted this and released him, but the high court-ordered probe exposed the truth. A murder case was registered on January 9, and Sahu is now in judicial custody.
Ongoing Search for the Body and Family's Anguish
Yogendra expressed deep distress, noting that his son's phone was active for hours after the murder, which could have led to earlier detection. Efforts to locate Rahul's body continue, with police contacting the BMC and NDRF for assistance and checking along the Mithi river and coastal areas for unclaimed bodies.
Rahul, a school dropout, lived with his father in a small rented house in Kurla West after his mother's death a decade ago. He had recently changed employers before his disappearance, while Yogendra earns about Rs 12,000 monthly as a labourer. The case underscores systemic delays in police response and the vital role of judicial intervention in ensuring justice.
