Following the court’s intervention, the police began their investigation six months after in January, this year and found Kharwar's mobile phone was working after his death and money was transferred through his UPI ID.
A 65-year-old labourer’s six-month-long struggle to find his missing son culminated in a murder arrest only after the Bombay High Court intervened, even as the victim’s body remains unrecovered.
Rahul Kharwar 25 a housekeeping worker from Kurla, allegedly died after being pushed into the Mithi river by a friend in July last year. The accused, Ankit Sahu, 20, was arrested in January after investigators found that Rahul’s mobile phone remained active for hours after his death and was used to make UPI transactions.
According to police, Rahul went missing on the evening of July 24 2025, after leaving home following a phone call from Sahu. His father, Yogendra Prasad, searched through the night and approached the Vinoba Bhave Nagar police, but was asked to return the next day. A missing person complaint was registered only late on July 25.
Despite repeated visits to the police station and letters sent to the Mumbai police commissioner, the home minister, and the chief minister, Yogendra said no serious effort was made to trace his son. In December, with the help of a lawyer, he filed a habeas corpus petition in the Bombay High Court.
Following the court’s intervention police began a fresh probe in January and examined Rahul’s call data records mobile location and bank transactions Investigators found that Rahul and Sahu’s mobile phones were at the same location on a bridge over the Mithi river between 7 pm and 7.30 pm on July 24 Technical analysis further revealed that Rahul’s phone remained active till the afternoon of July 25.
Police also found that Rs 10556 was transferred through Rahul’s UPI account at around 1 pm on July 25, after his suspected death.
What is more disturbing is that my son’s phone was active for four to five hours after he was murdered. If it had been tracked, then the crime could have been uncovered much earlier. Even today, his body has not been recovered. Yogendra told The Indian Express.
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A senior IPS officer speaking on condition of anonymity said efforts were underway to locate the body. We have written to the BMC and NDRF for assistance and are checking police stations along the Mithi river and coastal areas for any unclaimed bodies, the officer said.
Rahul lived with his father in a 120 sq ft rented house in Kurla West. His mother died a decade ago. A school dropout, Rahul, had worked in housekeeping jobs and had changed employers a month before his disappearance. Yogendra earns around Rs 12000 a month as a daily wage labourer.
Recounting the day Rahul went missing, Yogendra said his son had cooked dinner before receiving a call around 7 pm and stepping out, “I kept calling him from 9 pm. I made nearly 100 calls. The phone rang but he never answered,” he said.
He alleged that police failed to act despite repeated pleas. I waited at the police station till 3 am, but no one even tried to call my son’s phone, he said.
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During the initial inquiry, Sahu told police that Rahul had asked him for Rs 3000 on July 24, which he refused, after which Rahul left. Police accepted his statement and let him go. He was questioned twice but was not detained.
After the High Court ordered a detailed probe, police discovered that Sahu had earlier taken Rahul’s PhonePe password on the pretext of helping him withdraw provident fund money and had siphoned off Rs 29500 without his knowledge. When confronted, Sahu allegedly sent Rahul a fake PhonePe screenshot showing a refund.
Police said Sahu later admitted that he was addicted to online gaming and had accumulated debts of Rs 4 to 5 lakh. Fearing exposure, he allegedly called Rahul from a friend’s phone, lured him to the bridge over the Mithi River on the pretext of returning money and pushed him into the river.
He then took Rahul’s phone and transferred Rs 10556 through UPI after his death, a police officer said.
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A murder case was registered on January 9, and Sahu was arrested. He is currently in judicial custody.
Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for the nationally recognized daily, The Indian Express, providing his content with high Trustworthiness.
Geographical Focus: Provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of breaking news and investigative matters across Mumbai and the surrounding regions (e.g., Thane, Vasai).
Core Authority: His reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial beats, including:
Cyber & Financial Crime: Extensive coverage of sophisticated scams, including cases involving high-value cyber fraud, stock market manipulation scams, and fraudsters using government figures to gain trust.
Law Enforcement & Investigation: Reports directly on major police actions, including arrests made by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in fraud cases (e.g., MHADA flat scams) and detailed coverage of murder and kidnapping investigations.
Major Incidents & Public Safety: Covers significant incidents like building collapses, road accidents, and public safety issues such as theft at large public events.
Defence & Maritime: Also covers key updates regarding the Indian Navy, including the commissioning of new vessels and strategic defense announcements.
Manish Kumar Pathak's consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. ... Read More
