MUMBAI: While the trial in the 19-year-old brutal murder of obstetrician Asha Goel (62) has been stalled, her daughter informed the court on Friday that the family had applied to the state government for appointment of special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam in the case but till today no prosecutor had been appointed. On June 6, the earlier special public prosecutor had told the court that he had resigned from the case as the victim’s family had approached the state and police chief for a new prosecutor.
Nikam is currently part of several high-profile trials in sessions court.
On Friday advocate for accused Pawankumar Goenka moved a plea urging the court to hear the matter on a day-to-day basis. He also sought a schedule of the trial.
However, the victim’s daughter, Rashmi Goyal (52), informed the court that delay is not caused due to them and that that they were making efforts for appointment of the prosecutor.
The court said, “Today evidence cannot be recorded [in absence of special public prosecutor], therefore, the family of deceased is directed to pursue the proposal submitted to the government for appointment of SPP, if any. Daughter of the complainant requested for 15 days time to pursue the aforesaid proposal. Her oral request is accepted as last chance as the matter is old one,” the judge said.
The court directed the defence and prosecution to proceed with the matter, without seeking unnecessary adjournments. “In view of aforementioned circumstances, the application filed by…accused no 2 [Pawankumar] is kept in abeyance till next date,” the court said. The matter was adjourned to August 10. The family of the victim is based abroad and has made several trips over the years to pursue the case. The victim’s husband is now in his 80s.
The case was registered at Malabar Hill police station on August 23, 2003, by Sureshchandra Agrawal, brother of the victim, obstetrician Asha Goel. He had told the cops that Asha arrived in the city the day before. He found her on the floor in a pool of blood the next morning. She was declared dead.
It emerged that Goel was in India to sort out a property dispute between her brothers, Subhash and Sureshchandra. She wanted that her third brother, Shekhar, got his dues. Sureshchandra and Canada-based Subhash were accused of plotting the murder with the other accused.
