3 min readMumbaiJan 21, 2015 02:11 AM IST
First published on: Jan 21, 2015 at 02:11 AM IST
A city civil and sessions Court on Tuesday examined a witness in the kidnap and brutal murder of 13-year-old school-goer Aditya Ranka in May 2013. Girgaum resident Aditya was allegedly kidnapped and killed by family friend Vijesh Sanghavi on May 13, 2013. The plot was allegedly hatched by Aditya’s older cousin Himanshu Ranka.
On Tuesday afternoon, the court examined the owner of the car used in the kidnap, a prosecution witness. The Charni Road-based metal futures trader had Himanshu Ranka in his employment since 2009.
The witness appeared calm under examination from Chief Public Prosecutor Kalpana Chavan. The witness told Principal Judge Sangitrao S. Patil that on May 13, 2013, Sanghavi has asked to borrow his white Honda City car for some official work. Initially reluctant, the witness agreed to let Sanghavi borrow his car, provided he returned it quickly. Sanghavi then collected the car keys from the watchman of the witness’ apartment building.
According to the police’ chargesheet, Himanshu and Sanghavi were deep in debt having lost money betting on Indian Premier League matches that summer. Himanshu then allegedly thought of kidnapping his young cousin Aditya for a ransom of Rs. 30 lakh. The police state that on the day of the crime, Himanshu drew Aditya out of his home, while Sanghavi drove him away in the witness’ car. As Aditya was friendly with Sanghavi, he accompanied him willingly.
The witness told the court that on May 13, Himanshu reported to work after 12.30 pm. “I had to then step out for a few hours for a social function and returned at 5 pm. Himanshu was not in office then. So I called him and he told me that there was a problem at his home, which he would tell me about later. I then called his wife, but she said she would let me know in a few minutes. A few minutes later, around 5.30 pm, Himanshu called to tell me that his brother Aditya had been kidnapped,” the witness told the court.
Quizzed in detail by defence lawyer V. B. Singh, the witness began to falter. Singh said that witness’ office could not have been functioning on May 13 owing to a market shutdown. “That day was Akshya Tritiya. Markets are shut on Akshya Tritiya. There was also a market shutdown due to the Local Body tax Strike. How can your office have been open?” Singh asked. The judge however, waved away his questions.
The witness was allowed to leave after cross-examination by another defence lawyer, Sudeep Pasbola. Immediately after exiting the court, however, the witness broke down and hastily left the court building.
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