The Barasat court in Kolkata has delivered a verdict of life imprisonment in a complex murder case, achieving conviction just nine months after the crime took place. The case involved the murder of a 50-year-old woman, whose body—with both legs amputated—was discovered in a trolley bag at Kumartuli Ghat under North Port Police Station on February 25, 2025.
Special Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee confirmed the efficiency of the prosecution, stating, “The prosecution has examined 32 witnesses to prove its case.” The trial had begun in June.
The accused, a mother and daughter, were convicted on Sunday under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for murder and disappearance of evidence, and their sentences pronounced on Monday. “They have been convicted under Section 103(1) with life as well as a Rs 1 lakh fine in default six months and Section 238, with seven years with fine of Rs 50,000 in default six months. Firstly, the seven years will be exhausted, then the life sentence will start,” Chatterjee told The Indian Express.
The initial complaint was lodged by S Gautam Kumar Thakur following the discovery of the body, and the investigation was subsequently transferred to Madhyamgram police station.
Key evidence included the testimony of the prime witness — the nodal officer of three telecom companies — who provided CDR, CAF, and SDR data crucial in linking the accused and the victim. CCTV footage from the point of origin to Kumartuli Ghat, along with a physics-based gait pattern analysis, identified the accused carrying the trolley bag.
Forensic evidence provided the final link: blood found in the trolley bag and at the crime scene matched the victim’s DNA. The prosecution presented over 170 exhibits, demonstrating that the murder occurred on February 23 and the attempted disposal on February 25.
The presence of the victim’s blood in the house of the accused and the recovery of the trolley bag in their possession were deemed crucial circumstantial evidence. The “suspicious” conduct of the accused following the murder was also noted by several witnesses.
The failed attempt to dispose of the body in the Hooghly due to eyewitnesses, and the subsequent recovery of the concealed murder weapons from a pond based on the accused’s statements, further strengthened the case. The motive was reinforced by the seizure of the victim’s mobile phone and other materials from the accused, who had allegedly used her net banking credentials to purchase jewellery in her name.
How the body had been discovered
The discovery of the body on February 25 at Kumartuli Ghat in north Kolkata was made by vigilant residents.
The two accused women — a mother and daughter, later identified as Falguni Ghosh and Arati Ghosh — were caught red-handed while trying to dispose of the body, stuffed inside a large blue trolley bag, into the Hooghly river. Morning walkers and others noticed the women struggling to move the unusually heavy new trolley bag from a taxi.
As the crowd gathered, they noticed bloodstains on the bag, which was secured with a small padlock. When the women refused to open it despite repeated demands, residents alerted the police. Before the police arrived, the crowd broke open the lock, and blood reportedly leaked from the bag.