A missing husband, an Australia story, and a body beneath a factory

The case came to light after Jignesh’s elder brother, Ashok Dharamshi Mavadiya, lodged a complaint at the Panch B Division police station in Jamnagar.

DNA profiling of the skeletal remains is pending to confirm that the body belongs to Jignesh. (Special Arrangement)

Pratibha, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Lalpur Division), Jamnagar, told The Indian Express that Ashok’s complaint was turned into an FIR based on the confession of the two arrested men who had pointed out the location of the body to them.

However, she said, DNA profiling of the skeletal remains is pending to confirm that the body belongs to Jignesh.

Family cut off

According to the complaint, Jignesh, the youngest of three brothers, had married Pruthvi seven years ago. The couple had two daughters, aged 6 years and 1.5 years, and had moved from Dwarka to Porbandar before settling in Jamnagar around three years ago.

For the first year after the move, Ashok remained in touch with his brother. After that, he never saw him again. Every time he visited Pruthvi, she had an explanation that Jignesh was away.

When Pruthvi later shifted to another house, the family again asked about Jignesh. She allegedly claimed he had gone to Australia for work but refused to share his phone number.

Growing suspicious, Ashok brought up Jignesh’s lack of communication with the rest of the family over the past two years. A cousin, Deepak, called Pruthvi and told her he was travelling to Australia, asking to be connected with Jignesh so he could carry something from India for him.

A meeting and a confession

Ashok said in his complaint that his sister-in-law never arranged the call, and the family then warned her they would approach the police.

Instead, Ashok said in his complaint, she reached out first.

In the FIR, he said Pruthvi called him on July 24 and asked him to meet her. They met at a relative’s home, where Pruthvi arrived with Kachhatiya. They allegedly told the complainant that they had killed Jignesh two years ago and performed his final rites.

Ashok then informed the family and approached the police. He filed a complaint at City B Division police station, saying Pruthvi, Kachhatiya, and Verma poisoned Jignesh with cyanide mixed in liquor on May 31, 2024, before burying his body inside the factory premises to conceal the crime.

Based on the complaint and the subsequent investigation, the police booked Pruthvi, Kachhatiya, and Verma under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections related to murder, causing disappearance of evidence, and criminal conspiracy.

The police said the investigation is continuing.