Pune: Nilesh Chavan Remanded to Police Custody in Vaishnavi Hagawane Case; Arrested at Nepal Border

Pune, 31st May 2025: In a significant development in the Vaishnavi Hagawane death case, Nilesh Chavan, who was absconding for several days, has been remanded to three days of police custody after being arrested at the Nepal border on Friday. He was produced before the Shivajinagar Court on Saturday, where police sought his custody for further investigation.

Prosecution Highlights Harassment and Data Deletion-
According to the government prosecutor, Chavan, along with a woman named Karishma, allegedly subjected Vaishnavi Hagawane to mental and emotional harassment, a central aspect of the ongoing investigation.

The prosecutor further stated that:
-Chavan had deleted critical data from his mobile phone, which is believed to contain crucial evidence.
-He is also believed to have mobile phones belonging to Karishma and another individual named Shashank, both of which the police intend to seize.
-These factors justified the need for police custody to recover digital evidence and conduct further inquiries.

Defense: “Case is Theory-Driven”
Chavan’s legal team countered these claims, arguing that:
-Chavan is being wrongfully implicated merely because he had temporary custody of the 10-month-old child related to the case.
-All charges against him are bailable, and there is no direct evidence to warrant prolonged police custody.
-Chavan legally possesses a firearm license, and there is no allegation or proof of misuse.
-The defense alleged that the police had first targeted an individual and were now seeking evidence to support a pre-constructed narrative.
-Describing the case as “driven more by theory than facts,” the defense opposed the police custody demand.

Court Orders Three-Day Custody:
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court concluded that initial custodial interrogation was necessary for evidence collection and granted three days of police custody. Chavan will be produced again on June 3, 2025.

The case has stirred significant public interest, with allegations involving emotional abuse, questionable custody of a child, and suspected digital tampering. Investigations are expected to intensify as police analyze mobile data and interrogate key individuals linked to the case.