Scattered bunches of hair found at the crime scene proved to be “clinching evidence” of a brutal assault on Mumbai teenager Jhanvi Kukreja before her murder in 2021, a city sessions court said while sentencing her friend Shree Jogdhankar to life imprisonment.
Additional Sessions Judge Satyanarayan Navandar held that the presence of hair on multiple staircases of the building where the crime occurred clearly indicated a violent struggle prior to Kukreja’s fatal fall. The detailed order, made available on February 3, rejected defense claims that the death was accidental or a case of suicide.
Kukreja, aged 19, was killed in the early hours of January 1, 2021, after attending a New Year’s Eve party at a residential building in Khar, western Mumbai. Police said a fight broke out between Kukreja, Jogdhankar, and their friend Diya Padalkar following tensions over Jogdhankar’s closeness with Padalkar. Kukreja was allegedly assaulted on the staircase after the trio left the terrace.
Also Read: Elon Musk Fails to Dismiss SEC Suit Alleging Delayed Twitter Stake Filing
Although there were no eyewitnesses to the actual killing, the court relied on a “complete chain of circumstances” to convict Jogdhankar under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code. The judge noted that Kukreja had sustained multiple injuries, which ruled out the possibility of an accidental fall. The court also highlighted Jogdhankar’s failure to raise an alarm or seek help as a key incriminating factor.
“The scattered bunches of hair are clinching evidence of violence, showing how brutally she was assaulted just before her fall,” the court observed, adding that such evidence would not exist in cases of suicide or accident. It further pointed out that Jogdhankar’s post-incident conduct—including giving false information to doctors and remaining indifferent when contacted by friends—strongly indicated culpability.
The court, however, acquitted co-accused Diya Padalkar, stating that while her presence at the scene was established, the prosecution failed to prove her direct involvement or common intention to commit murder. Granting her the benefit of the doubt, the judge ruled that Jogdhankar alone was responsible for the crime.
Also Read: 2 Nigerians Held in Gurugram for Cheating Employees by Impersonating Company Directors