Bombay HC seeks SIT report by Feb 28 on elderly woman missing for a year

The court said the police should expedite their efforts to trace Uma Shashank Sarkar, 71, whose missing complaint was lodged on February 14, 2021.

3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Feb 17, 2022 08:18 AM IST

The HC said it was not inclined to grant a longer period as it was concerned about the wellbeing of Sarkar, a retired Air India staffer, who suffered from dementia, Alzheimer's and other ailments.

After the Mumbai Police informed the Bombay High Court that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed as per the court’s January 31 directions to trace a septuagenarian woman who had been missing from her Thane house since February 13 last year, the court on Wednesday sought the progress report from the SIT by February 28.

The court said the police should expedite their efforts to trace Uma Shashank Sarkar, 71, whose missing complaint was lodged on February 14, 2021.

On January 31, a division bench of Justice S J Kathawalla and Justice M N Jadhav, while hearing a habeas corpus plea by the woman’s two sons had directed the Mumbai Police Commissioner to constitute an SIT to trace the woman and produce her before it on February 16.

On Wednesday, after the police informed the court that the SIT was formed on February 14, the court expressed displeasure at the slow pace of the probe, pointing out 14 days the police took to form the SIT. The police informed the court that three teams were searching for the missing woman across the country.

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The HC said it was not inclined to grant a longer period as it was concerned about the wellbeing of Sarkar, a retired Air India staffer, who suffered from dementia, Alzheimer’s and other ailments.

What provoked the court’s ire was the fact brought to its notice that three days after going missing from Kasarvadavli in Thane, the woman was found in Kalanagar area and was brought to the Kherwadi police station in Bandra (East).

The petitioners said after they enquired with the Kherwadi police, they were told that the cops had gone to petitioner’s old address and were told that the family no longer lived there. According to the plea, the police told the petitioners that they tried to contact some NGOs for shelter, but nothing worked out due to the pandemic. The HC pulled up Kherwadi police station officials for their “negligent” conduct.

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The petitioners claimed that their mother was at the police station for nearly 10 hours before she walked out on her own, and the police made no efforts to reunite her with the family.

Omkar Gokhale

Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions. Expertise & Authority Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage. Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in: Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include: Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes). Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty). Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict. Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability. Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges. Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More

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