The sentencing of suspended police inspector Abhay Kurundkar and two accomplices, Kundan Bhandari and Mahesh Phalnikar, for the murder of Assistant Police Inspector (API) Ashwini Bidre-Gore has been postponed to April 21, 2025, at 11 am by the Panvel sessions court.
On April 5, the court convicted Kurundkar, Bhandari, and Phalnikar for their involvement in the gruesome murder of API Bidre-Gore, who went missing in 2016. The victim’s dismembered body was later discovered in the Mira-Bhaindar creek.
During the sentencing hearing, Bidre-Gore’s 15-year-old daughter, Suchi alias Siddhi, expressed her desire for the death penalty for the convicted individuals, stating that “such cruelty deserves no mercy.” She also conveyed her loss of trust in the police department due to the involvement of one of its own officers in her mother’s murder.
Special Public Prosecutor Pradip Gharat argued that the case falls under the “rarest of rare” category, justifying the death sentence. Defense lawyer Vishal Bhanushali opposed this, highlighting that the evidence against Kurundkar is primarily circumstantial and leaves room for doubt. He also emphasized the possibility of rehabilitation, citing Kurundkar’s lack of prior criminal record and his status as a decorated officer.
The court has adjourned the matter until April 21 to thoroughly consider all aspects before delivering the sentence.
Sources