A SESSIONS court on Saturday sentenced a 26-year-old man to life imprisonment and acquitted a woman for the murder of her 19-year-old friend at a 2021 New Year’s Eve party in Khar. The court convicted Shree Jogdhankar of murder, while giving his co-accused, Diya Padalkar, 24, the “benefit of the doubt” and acquitting her of all charges.
Jhanvi Kukreja was found dead in a pool of blood on the ground floor staircase of a high-rise building, Bhagwati Heights in Khar, after attending a rooftop party with the two accused and other friends. The post-mortem report recorded 48 injuries, including fatal head trauma.
There was no CCTV footage of the incident. Police arrested Jogdhankar and Padalkar, alleging that they had an argument with Kukreja during the party in which the three had consumed alcohol. The prosecution said Kukreja was in a relationship with Jogdhankar and was upset because she was flirting with Padalkar. It was alleged that the argument began on the eighth floor and became violent as they descended several flights of stairs. Jogdhankar suffered injuries, including a fractured rib and a spinal injury, while Padalkar had a bloody lip.
Additional Sessions Judge Satyanarayan R. Navander said though there were no eyewitnesses, the accused were the only people who could explain what happened as their presence at the spot was established through other evidence. Accepting the submission of special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat, the court held that the nature of Kukreja’s injuries indicated that Jogdhankar assaulted her and pushed her from the second floor of the staircase, resulting in her death. The chargesheet cited the seizure of Kukreja’s belongings from the eighth floor to the ground floor, indicating that the assault continued at various levels.
The court said the injuries showed that the death could not have been accidental. “If someone is pushed or thrown from the second floor, there is every possibility of causing death. The act done by accused No. 1 (Jogdhankar) which led to the death of the deceased amounts to murder,” the court said, adding that there was “not a single circumstance to suggest his innocence.” It was also based on his conduct after the incident.
Referring to call data records and witness statements, the court said Jogdhankar was informed of the incident by a friend after leaving the building, but reacted in a “seriously cold and indifferent” manner. He said he gave false information at a hospital about the cause of his injuries. The court observed that although a friend accompanying him claimed that the injuries were due to a fall, Jogdhankar could have corrected it. In an earlier bail application, Jogdhankar had stated that his injuries were caused in an assault by unknown persons.
After the sentencing, Jogdhankar told the court that he was falsely implicated and that he and Kukreja had been friends for more than five or six years and had no intention of committing the crime. He said he had been in prison since 2021, had completed his studies and asked for clemency. His lawyer, Wahab Khan, also asked for leniency due to his young age.
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Padalkar, who was granted bail after six months in jail in 2021, was accompanied by her parents and collapsed in court after being acquitted. She and Kukreja were childhood friends and lived in the same building. The court held that there was no evidence to show that the two accused shared a common intention to murder Kukreja and said Padalkar “deserves to be given the benefit of doubt”. He said his involvement in causing the fatal injuries was doubtful as he had not suffered injuries like Jogdhankar.
“As far as accused number 2 (Padalkar) is concerned, the prosecution has established her presence at the crime scene. Her complicity in the commission of the crime is doubtful as no injuries were caused to her except the wound on her lip,” the court said, while acquitting her. Her lawyer, Ashok Mishra, argued that there was no evidence to prove that she had assaulted Kukreja.
Kukreja’s mother Nidhi said she would challenge Padalkar’s acquittal. “I have faith in the judiciary. I have been attending court for the last six years, putting our lives on hold just to get justice. The court said Diya was present at the scene but gave her the benefit of doubt. We plan to challenge the acquittal once the detailed order is passed,” he said.
JHANVI KUKREJA CASE: TIMELINE
December 31, 2020 to January 1, 2021:
Three friends attend the New Year’s Eve party at the Khar skyscraper; Jhanvi Kukreja, 19, was found dead.
January 2021:
Khar police arrest Diya Padalkar and Shree Jogdhankar.
June 2021:
Padalkar gets bail; Jogdhankar’s bail was refused.
May 4, 2023:
Framed charges.
June 9, 2023:
The trial begins.
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August 21, 2025:
Jogdhankar withdraws bail plea; HC test orders will end in three months.
September 12, 2025:
The prosecution closes the case after questioning 48 witnesses.
October 13, 2025:
The final statements of the accused are recorded.
November 17-28, 2025:
Final arguments of the Prosecutor’s Office.
November 29 to December 10, 2025:
Defense arguments.
January 16, 2026:
The court reserves the ruling.
January 31, 2026:
The court passes sentence.