Mumbai double murder: Bombay HC directs jail officials to respond to Chintan Upadhyay's plea

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed Thane prison authorities to respond to a petition filed by artist Chintan Upadhyay, arrested for allegedly murdering his wife Hema and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani, seeking a bed to sleep in his cell.

A division bench headed by Justice R V More asked the jail authorities to reply to the plea and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow.

Chintan, in his petition, submitted that he is unable to sleep on the floor due to spondylitis. The prison authorities were not providing him medical help, he alleged. He was arrested on December 28, last year in connection with the murder of his estranged wife Hema and her lawyer Bhambhani.

Four other accused in the murder case -- Pradip Rajbhar, Vijay Rajbhar, Shivkumar Rajbhar and Azaad Rajbhar -- are also currently lodged in judicial custody. However, the main accused, Vidyadhar Rajhbhar, is still at large.

Hema, an installation artist, and Bhambhani were found dead in a drain in Dhanukar Wadi in suburban Kandivli on December 11, last year.