In a first, murder-accused faces ‘trial in absentia’ under BNSS in Delhi

Man accused of killing his employer in January in Delhi’s Narela

The case was cracked on February 12, when police traced Jitender’s son Abhishek alias Vishal through his Instagram activities. Abhishek admitted that he and his father had dumped Ramesh’s body.

In a first, the Delhi Police has initiated ‘trial in absentia’ proceedings against an absconding murder-accused. The trial in absentia — a legal provision under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) — allows the court to frame charges, record evidence, and deliver judgment for absconding accused who have been declared proclaimed offenders by courts.

Police said the accused, Jitender Mehto, allegedly killed his 68-year-old employer, Ramesh Bharadwaj, on January 28 in Delhi’s Narela area after conspiring with his own son and the victim’s son.

“Investigation also revealed that the victim had recently received Rs 4.5 lakh as part payment for a plot sale in Mukundpur in Delhi and was last seen with Jitender. Multiple witnesses confirmed the deceased’s frequent visits to Jitender’s rented room. During investigation, detailed examination of CDRs (call detail records), location data, and movement patterns of the victim and the accomplices were conducted,” DCP (Outer North) Hareshwar Swami said.

The case was cracked on February 12, when police traced Jitender’s son Abhishek alias Vishal through his Instagram activities. Abhishek admitted that he and his father had dumped Ramesh’s body.

“Abhishek also disclosed the alleged involvement of Love Bhardwaj, the deceased’s son, in a conspiracy stemming from long-standing family disputes. At Abhishek’s instance, the highly decomposed body of the victim, packed in a gunny bag, was recovered from a drain near their locality,” DCP Swami also said.

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