10 Convicted in 2006 Pankaj Trivedi Murder Case

Nineteen years after the brutal murder of Swadhyay Parivar leader Pankaj Trivedi, the Ahmedabad sessions court has sentenced 10 accused in the case to life imprisonment. Trivedi was attacked with baseball bats near Ellisbridge Gymkhana on June 15, 2006.

Trivedi, an NRI and longtime Swadhyay Parivar member, had raised allegations of financial irregularities against the group’s leadership, particularly Jayashree Talwalkar (Jayashree Didi). He had actively questioned the misuse of earthquake relief funds collected for Gujarat’s disaster victims. His accusations reportedly led to resentment among some Swadhyay Parivar followers, culminating in his murder.

Swadhyay Parivar is a religious philosophy that promotes self-study and selfless devotion.

The Conviction

The court found 10 accused guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The convicted individuals include Chandrasinh Jadeja, Hiteshsinh Chudasama, Dakshesh Shah, Bhupatsinh Jadeja, Manasinh Vadher, Ghanshyamsinh Chudasama, Bharatbhai Tate, Bharatsinh Jadeja, Chandrakant Daki, and Jashubhai Jadeja.

The Murder Plot

Trivedi, who resided in Satyagrah Chhavani, Satellite, had raised questions about the donation receipts given to NRI donors and sought accountability for the funds. Following these revelations, multiple false complaints were filed against him, which were later dismissed by the Gujarat High Court and the Supreme Court.

Sensing a threat to his life, Trivedi had even written to the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi and police officials, naming 30 individuals who should be held responsible if anything happened to him.

On June 15, 2006, the accused gathered near Pakwan Restaurant and later travelled to Gujarat College, armed with baseball bats and metal pipes. As soon as Trivedi stepped out of the Ellisbridge Gymkhana, he was brutally attacked, sustaining over 20 severe injuries, leading to his death.

A watchman at Gymkhana and the state prosecution played key roles in the case. The crime was initially discovered by a policeman passing by, alerted by young boys who noticed a bloodied man lying between two parked cars.

With this verdict, a 19-year-old legal battle comes to a close, delivering long-awaited justice to Pankaj Trivedi and his family.