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Pune Crime Files | Lonavala double murder: How prosecution’s ‘failure to prove motive’ led to accused’s acquittal

On the afternoon of April 3, 2017, the bodies of a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman — students of different branches at Sinhgad Institute of Technology — were found in the forests near Bhushi dam, between INS Shivaji and the Air Force Station in Lonavala.

5 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 12, 2026 07:36 PM IST

Police said the accused, who ran a vada pav stall, had previous cases of house break-in theft registered against him.(File Photo)

A brutal double murder of a young couple studying at Sinhgad Institute of Technology in Lonavala had sent shockwaves across Maharashtra in April 2017. The victims were found dead in a forested area near Bhushi dam. While Pune rural police had arrested a history-sheeter and detained his minor accomplice for the crime, a Pune court on July 30, 2024 acquitted the main accused, citing serious lapses in investigation and lack of evidence. For the victims’ families, justice remains elusive.

Double murder and arrests

On the afternoon of April 3, 2017, the bodies of a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman — students of different branches at Sinhgad Institute of Technology — were found in the forests near Bhushi dam, between INS Shivaji and the Air Force Station in Lonavala.

Police said the hands of both victims were tied behind their backs, their mouths were gagged, and multiple injuries were found on their heads and other parts of the body. Their clothes had been stripped off. A post-mortem report confirmed that both died due to severe blows from a blunt object. A case of murder was registered at Lonavala city police station.

The then Superintendent of Police (Pune rural), Mohammed Suvez Haque, constituted a special investigation team (SIT) and announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information about the killers.

After over two months of investigation — during which more than 1,500 persons, including history-sheeters, friends and relatives of the victims, were questioned and thousands of phone calls analysed — police arrested a 22-year-old man from Lonavala on June 11, 2017.

Police said the accused, who ran a vada pav stall, had previous cases of house break-in theft registered against him. They claimed to have recovered the victims’ mobile phones from a septic tank at his house in Siddharth Nagar.

His accomplice was arrested from Agra on June 13, and was found to be a minor. A knife was allegedly recovered from him. Police said the duo had committed two crimes together in the past, though the victims in those cases had not lodged complaints.

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Investigators suspected that targeting couples in secluded areas of Lonavala and robbing them after stripping their clothes was their modus operandi. The accused were booked under IPC sections 394 (robbery), 397, 302 (murder), 201, 354, 75 and 34.

According to the police, the couple had come to the forest area on a motorcycle for an outing on April 2. The accused allegedly threatened them and forced the man to remove his clothes, later asking the woman to strip as well. When the man protested, he was allegedly killed with stones, following which the woman was also murdered.

Police believed that after the murders, the assailants tied the hands and legs of the victims and fled with their mobile phones and a gold chain. While the minor is being tried before the Juvenile Justice Board, a chargesheet against the main accused was filed before a Pune sessions court on September 6, 2017.

What the court said

As per the court order, the prosecution relied heavily on the testimony of a mobile shop owner, who claimed that on the night of April 2, while sitting with a friend on the compound of a dilapidated bungalow in Lonavala, the two accused arrived and spoke in a mocking tone about killing a couple. He also claimed that they asked him whether he could break the “tracker” of the victims’ mobile phones.

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The court found his evidence doubtful as he did not inform the police at the time. He contacted the police only after reading about the accused’s arrest in the media, following which his statement was recorded on June 12, 2017.

Police claimed that the victim’s gold chain was recovered from the same dilapidated bungalow, but the court expressed doubts. “That chain is intact which is not possible as it was snatched forcibly,” the court observed.

The court also rejected the police theory of recovering the stolen mobile phones from a septic tank, stating it was “unnatural” for the accused to conceal stolen property in such a manner when he had sufficient time to dispose of it.
Police further claimed to have recovered the male victim’s hair from the accused’s shirt found at the bungalow.

However, the court noted that proper scientific procedures were not followed. “The DNA analyser has not followed some of the tests, which are necessary for a conclusive DNA Test,” the court said.

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The court also observed that the accused owned two smartphones, indicating that his financial position was sound. “…..In such type of murder cases where only two mobile phones and one golden chain were stolen, the financial position of the accused makes a difference,” the court stated.

Acquitting the accused, the court held that the prosecution “failed to prove the motive” behind the crime and that the “chain of circumstances” was not established beyond reasonable doubt.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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