Cops get custody of Paddhari case accused till June 1

Rajkot: After nearly two years on the run, the two accused in the Paddhari rape and murder case were produced before a local court on Monday, which granted police custody till June 1, allowing investigators to piece together their movements, support network and the chain of events that led to the killing.

Police said Yashpalsinh Jadeja, 22, and Mahendrasinh Jadeja, 35, were arrested from the Gujarat–Rajasthan border on Sunday, bringing an end to their 780-day evasion. The duo had been booked by Paddhari police for allegedly raping a minor in April 2024 and were later accused of murdering the victim’s uncle on May 20.

According to investigators, the accused moved across four states over the past two years to avoid arrest. During the remand hearing, police told the court that custodial interrogation was essential to ascertain how the accused procured weapons, where they stayed while absconding, who sheltered them and who provided financial assistance.

Police have also sent mobile phones and other electronic devices recovered from the accused for forensic examination.

Rajkot superintendent of police Vijay Singh Gurjar said the accused were familiar with the murder victim’s routine. “They knew that the victim regularly travelled in a car bearing a particular registration number. They also got information about his location from their sources in the village,” he said.

Investigating officer M G Chauhan said the accused left Gandhidham in Kutch for Rajkot on the night of May 19. “They stayed in Morbi before reaching their village, Khakhadabela, on the evening of May 20,” he said.

“What triggered them to kill the victim is still under investigation,” Chauhan added.

The case has seen multiple changes in the investigation team, with four investigating officers replaced so far. Chauhan is the fifth officer to be assigned the probe.