The Bombay High Court has directed a senior police official in Pune, Maharashtra, to oversee the ongoing investigation into the murder of Vikram Gaikwad. This directive comes in response to concerns raised by Gaikwad’s family, who allege that the local police have not conducted an adequate investigation and claim the incident may be linked to honour-related motives.
Vikram Gaikwad, a 30-year-old from a scheduled caste community, was found dead with stab wounds on February 8, 2025. Advocate Amit Katarnaware, representing Gaikwad’s family, argued that the murder was a consequence of Gaikwad’s inter-caste marriage to a woman from the Maratha community, despite pressure from her family to end the relationship. Katarnaware requested that the investigation be transferred to a higher authority, such as the CBI or CID, citing concerns about the urgency and integrity of the local investigation.
In response, Additional Public Prosecutor Kranti Hiwrale, representing the prosecution, disputed the characterization of the crime. Hiwrale indicated that the arrested suspect has no connection to the woman at the center of the case, noting that the conflict was related to a monetary transaction rather than the alleged motives advanced by the family.
The bench, comprising Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Dr Neela Gokhale, instructed the prosecution to submit a short affidavit as part of the proceedings. Hiwrale confirmed that a special internal team was already assigned to the investigation, which is being supervised by the senior police official in question.
The court has ordered the prosecution to provide an affidavit within three weeks, with the case scheduled for a follow-up hearing on April 8.
Gaikwad’s brother filed the initial plea, recounting that Gaikwad had expressed fears for his safety due to threats from the woman’s family and had contemplated filing a police complaint prior to his murder. The family further alleged that the woman’s family organized a village meeting to pressure Gaikwad regarding his lower caste status. Despite this family pressure, the woman had reportedly warned Gaikwad to stay alert to potential harm from her relatives.
The timeline of events leading to Gaikwad’s death suggests he was on his way to collect a loan when he disappeared. When family members attempted to reach him, an unknown individual responded, indicating that Gaikwad’s blood-stained phone was found in a vegetable truck. Subsequently, his bloodied vehicle and body were discovered at different locations.
