Hema Upadhyay murder: Warrant against accused's father

Mumbai-based artist Hema and her lawyer Bhambani were killed on December 11, 2016 and their bodies disposed of in Kandivali. The warrant was issued against Ramadhar for not producing before court a tempo, which belongs to Vijay and was allegedly used for disposal of bodies of the two victims.

A court here on Friday issued a bailable warrant against Ramadhar Rajbhar, father of Vijay Rajbhar who is an accused in the the murder of artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Haresh Bhambhani. Mumbai-based artist Hema and her lawyer Bhambani were killed on December 11, 2016 and their bodies disposed of in Kandivali.

The warrant was issued against Ramadhar for not producing before court a tempo, which belongs to Vijay and was allegedly used for disposal of bodies of the two victims. A sessions court had directed the prosecution to produce photographs of the tempo, which is in the custody of Ramadhar.

"We sought warrant as Ramadhar failed to appear before the court and did not make any submission about production of the tempo or its photograph before the court," the prosecution said. The police had seized the tempo as part of the probe but Ramadhar was allowed to take it later.

The court had, at the time, directed Ramadhar to execute an indemnity bond of Rs 5 lakh, and had asked him to produce the vehicle as and when required in the case. The prosecution is presently examining the panch witness before whom the tempo was seized.