Bombay HC Orders Release of Woman Jailed 20 Years for False Conviction

The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to release Deepti Deosthale, who has been incarcerated for almost 20 years in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Pune orthopaedic surgeon Dr Deepak Mahajan. The court found that Deosthale was incorrectly classified as a convict who must serve 30 years, including remissions.

The High Court overturned a September 22, 2025, state government order that placed Deosthale in the category of life convicts. This ruling came after Deosthale challenged her classification, arguing she was not convicted of murder and therefore should not be subjected to the longer sentence requirements. Her mother, Leena Deosthale, also convicted in the case, was released on remission in May of the previous year.

In 2006, police alleged that Leena and Deepti operated a detective agency and lured Dr Mahajan to a hotel, where he died from a drug overdose. His body was subsequently dismembered. The mother and daughter were arrested later that year and initially sentenced to death in 2007, but their death sentences were set aside in 2008, upholding their convictions for kidnapping for ransom.

The court noted that as of September 30, 2026, Deepti had completed 20 years of actual imprisonment. The Bench emphasized that a government resolution concerning release after 20 years, including remissions, could not be applied to allow someone convicted of a lesser offense to serve less time than someone convicted of a more serious one. Deosthale was instructed to report to the local police station quarterly post-release.