Pune Family Cries Honour Killing in Murder Case, Bombay High Court Orders senior cop to supervise
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30-year-old Vikram Gaikwad was found dead on February 8
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed a senior police official in Pune, Maharashtra, to supervise the investigation into the murder of Vikram Gaikwad. The court was hearing a plea filed by Gaikwad’s family, who alleged lapses in the police probe and claimed it was an honour killing.
Vikram Gaikwad, a 30-year-old man from a scheduled caste community, was found dead with stab wounds on February 8, 2025. His family believes he was murdered because of his inter-caste marriage. Gaikwad had married a woman from the Maratha community. His family said the woman’s relatives pressured Gaikwad to divorce her. However, he refused.
Advocate Amit Katarnaware, appearing for the family, told the court that Gaikwad faced threats from the woman’s family. He had even thought about filing a police complaint. Before he could act, he was killed. The plea said the woman’s family held a village meeting to pressure him into divorce due to his lower caste status. Despite the threats, the woman had warned Gaikwad to stay alert, fearing harm from her family.
Gaikwad had reportedly gone to collect money he had lent to someone. When he did not return, his family tried to reach him. An unknown person answered his phone and told them his blood-stained phone was found in a vegetable truck. Later, his car and body were found at different places, both covered in blood.
According to India Today, the family demanded the case be handed over to the CBI or CID for an impartial investigation. However, the prosecution argued that the murder was linked to a monetary dispute, not an honour killing. They pointed out that the accused had no connection to the woman’s family. The prosecution also said dump data from the area had been collected to support their claims.
A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Dr. Neela Gokhale directed the Superintendent of Police to supervise the probe. They also asked for a short affidavit. The prosecution has three weeks to submit it. The next hearing is on April 8.
