The Bombay High Court has issued a notice to a senior citizen here seeking his response to a petition of the Maharashtra government challenging his discharge from the 2003 murder case of a Canadian national.
The state government approached the high court challenging an order passed by a sessions court in February this year, discharging Narendra Goel (66) on charges of killing his father-in-law’s sister Dr. Asha Goel, a Canadian national, at their residence in Malabar Hill.
Asha (62), a doctor by profession in Canada, was allegedly killed on August 14, 2003 at her brother Suresh Agarwal’s residence in Malabar Hill.
Police found 21 injuries on her body, including a massive head wound, a broken jaw, ruptured liver and numerous stab wounds.
Narendra, the son-in-law of Suresh, was arrested two years after the crime, based on the confessional statement made by alleged killer Pradeep Parab.
While Parab was made an approver in the case, the police’s crime branch sought to frame charges against Narendra and two of his accomplices – Pawankumar Goenka and Manohar Shinde.
According to prosecution, the motive behind the killing was a property dispute.
Narendra later filed a discharge application in the sessions court which was allowed in February this year.
The sessions court, while discharging Narendra from the case, observed that there was no evidence to show his involvement in the offence.
Aggrieved by the order, the state government filed a petition in the high court challenging the discharge.
On June 19, a single judge bench of Justice A K Menon issued the notice to Narendra and sought his response to the government’s petition.
The matter will be heard further on July 11.
