Panaji: The Bombay high court on Wednesday set aside the supplementary chargesheet filed in the 2022 murder case of assistant professor Gauri Achari, holding that it had been submitted without obtaining the magistrate’s permission for further investigation.The order came on a petition filed by murder accused Gaurav Bidre, a freelance gym instructor, challenging the supplementary chargesheet filed by the prosecution in 2023.Advocate Rohan Dessai, appearing for Bidre, argued that the law requires the investigating officer to obtain prior permission from the magistrate before undertaking further investigation. While the investigating officer had sought such permission, the supplementary chargesheet was subsequently filed directly before the sessions court without the magistrate’s approval, he submitted.Accepting this contention, the high court allowed Bidre’s petition and quashed the supplementary chargesheet, Dessai said.According to the defence, the supplementary chargesheet contained material including a test identification parade, alleged call detail records between the accused and another person, witness statements and the seizure of mobile phones.Achari, a scientist and assistant professor, was allegedly murdered inside her car outside her residence in Corlim, Old Goa, in June 2022. Police have alleged that Bidre killed her after she told him they should “disconnect” from each other.In March this year, the Supreme Court declined to interfere with the Bombay high court’s order rejecting Bidre’s bail plea, noting the seriousness of the allegations and the fact that the trial was already underway. The apex court directed the trial court to expedite the proceedings and observed that Bidre could renew his bail application if the trial was unduly delayed.While rejecting his bail plea in Jan, the high court had also observed that the trial had commenced and a schedule had been drawn up, directing the trial court to adhere to the timeline.
