4 min readVadodaraUpdated: Dec 4, 2025 12:48 PM IST
The father of the deceased also submitted his objection stating that Jinraj had "created a false and forged identity in the name of his friend, Praveen Bhatel, and by using the same had travelled to various countries.
CONSIDERING RECORDS that he had misused bail on previous occasions and not surrendered in the stipulated time, the Ahmedabad sessions court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Tarun Jinraj alias Sonu – accused of murdering his wife, Sajni Nair, in 2003. Jinraj had evaded arrest for 15 years, when he lived on a fake identity of his friend.
Additional District and Sessions Judge B S Mehta on Wednesday rejected the plea of Jinraj, who sought temporary bail for 30 days to be able to aid his mother, 77, “financially and in other ways”. The court considered the submissions of the Ahmedabad District Government Pleader (DGP) as well as the objections raised by the father of the deceased victim.
The court order noted that DGP P M Trivedi opposed the bail application arguing that the accused has “no genuine reason” for seeking the bail. The DGP submitted, “The present accused has committed serious offences… no genuine reason or ground has been mentioned in the bail application on the basis of which the accused is seeking temporary bail… Furthermore, the applicant-accused is a habitual offender and (on) earlier occasion also he (has sought) temporary bail but thereafter he misused the same and did not surrender himself in the stipulated time period…”
The court also noted that the father of the deceased victim appeared before the court and filed a written objection with supportive documents “wherein (he) vehemently opposed the present temporary bail and submitted that the present applicant-accused, who had committed “serious and grave offence” upon the victim and even her father. The father of the deceased also submitted his objection stating that Jinraj had “created a false and forged identity in the name of his friend, Praveen Bhateley, and by using the same had travelled to various countries.
On an earlier occasion also, the applicant-accused had “jumped temporary bail, absconded and was subsequently arrested from Delhi, where he had again created a false and forged identity in the name of Justin Joseph…” the written objection states.
The court also noted submissions that Jinraj had previously threatened witnesses in the case and therefore “there is apprehension that applicant-accused will influence or intimidate the said witnesses if released on bail. Considering such grounds, the present temporary (bail plea) should be outrightly rejected…”
Stating that the offences committed were of serious nature and punishable with imprisonment of more than seven years, the court said, “…the grounds mentioned in the bail application by the applicant-accused appears to insufficient as well as flimsy when counterweighted with the charges leveled against him… in earlier occasion also he was granted the temporary bail but thereafter he misused the same and did not surrender himself in the stipulated time (before the Investigating
Officer concerned)…”
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The court order states,”Moreover, it has also come on the court that the accused absconded for the period of 15 years and thereafter he was arrested. Therefore, looking at such conduct of the applicant-accused there may be ample chances that he will misuse the liberty of concession of temporary bail.”
Jinraj, after his arrest in 2018, had also approached the Sessions Court seeking temporary bail to deal with the “financial crisis” faced by his mother. While the bail pleas were rejected by the sessions court and the Gujarat High Court (HC), Jinraj was granted bail by the Gujarat HC on July 20, 2023, on the ground that he had to travel to Bengaluru to withdraw his Provident Fund money. After being released from prison on August 4, 2023, Jinjraj had disappeared and did not abide by the condition of informing the police about his whereabouts.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
