A local court in Amritsar on Wednesday sent the three accused in the alleged murder of Australian NRI Sunil Sharma to judicial custody. The accused were produced before the court after the expiry of their one-day extended police remand. The three accused are the victim’s brother Satish Sharma, alias Sunny, nephew Sunish Sharma, and property dealer Lachhman Singh. Satish Sharma’s wife, Anushka Sharma, had been sent to judicial custody a day earlier.
Body Recovery Efforts Continue
Meanwhile, the police continued their efforts to recover the body of the deceased, which the accused allegedly dumped in the Harike Pattan barrage. Teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Punjab Police searched areas along the Rajasthan canal, while forensic experts continued collecting evidence in the case.
“We are in touch with the Rajasthan police and have requested them to immediately inform us if a body is found in the canal,” said Shamsher Singh, SHO, Kamboh police station. An extensive search operation involving more than a dozen divers from the SDRF and Punjab Police continued throughout the day.
Investigations Reveal Key Details
Investigations so far have revealed that the accused allegedly disposed of Sunil Sharma’s body at the Harike barrage on the night of the murder. The police have identified the spot where the body was allegedly dumped. The search operation began after the arrest of the four accused from Delhi four days ago.
On Tuesday, intense arguments were exchanged between the prosecution and defence over the charges framed in the case. Defence counsels Sandeep Walia and Baljinder Singh questioned the inclusion of murder charges before the recovery of the victim’s body, arguing that invoking such provisions at this stage was premature.
After hearing both sides, the court sent Anushka Sharma to judicial custody and granted a one-day extension of police remand for Satish Sharma, Sunish Sharma and Lachhman Singh for further interrogation. Investigating officials said several key pieces of evidence had been recovered, including a car, a wristwatch and mattresses allegedly linked to the crime.
The police have intensified the search operation with the help of SDRF divers and forensic teams. The authorities are also coordinating with Rajasthan police to locate the body. The case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of an Australian NRI and the brutal nature of the crime.
