The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has cracked a 34-year-old murder case using DNA evidence and forensic investigation, leading to the arrest of two men accused of killing Farzana Radhanpuri, a woman who went missing from the Vatva area of Ahmedabad in 1992. Officials confirmed the development on Saturday, 9 May 2025, describing the breakthrough as a landmark in cold-case investigation.

How the Case Was Reopened

The case remained dormant for over three decades until the Crime Branch received specific intelligence suggesting that human remains had been buried in the Qutubnagar locality of Vatva. According to officials, the crucial tip originated from an informer who overheard a conversation at a casual gathering where individuals were allegedly discussing the crime.

A Crime Branch official said: "The discovery of the crime only happened when a couple of people were discussing it during a casual gathering. Our informer heard about it and subsequently passed on the information. It was purely based on human input."

The Excavation and Forensic Process

Acting on the intelligence, investigators conducted excavation work on 29 April 2025 at Survey No. 768, Plot No. 10 in Qutubnagar, carried out in the presence of executive magistrates, panch witnesses, and officials of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). Human skeletal remains were recovered from a depth of approximately 18 feet.

The remains were sent to the Department of Forensic Medicine at B.J. Medical College for post-mortem examination. DNA samples were simultaneously forwarded to the FSL centre in Meghaninagar. Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed a match between the recovered remains and DNA samples collected from Farzana's brother, conclusively establishing the identity of the deceased.

What Investigators Allege Happened

Police alleged that Farzana was married to Shamsuddin Khedawala, and that prolonged domestic discord arose over disputes regarding her personal conduct. Investigators further alleged that Shamsuddin, along with his brother Iqbal Khedawala, Abdul Karim Javarawala, and Saliyabibi Pathan, conspired to kill her.

According to police, Farzana was allegedly lured to Saliyabibi's residence in Qutubnagar in 1992, where she was strangulated to death. Her body was then allegedly buried at the same location in a deliberate attempt to conceal the crime and destroy evidence. Officers also travelled to Farzana's native place in Dholka, where statements from family members and acquaintances were recorded to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Accused: Two Dead, Two Arrested

Police confirmed that one of the accused, Saliyabibi Pathan, died approximately 14 years ago, while Abdul Karim Javarawala is also deceased. Legal proceedings have been initiated against the two surviving accused — Shamsuddin Khedawala, 61, a resident of Jamalpur, Ahmedabad, and Iqbal Khedawala, 63, a resident of Danilimda, Ahmedabad. Both have been arrested. The case has been registered under IPC Sections 302, 201, and 120(B).

What the Crime Branch Said

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Bharat Patel said: "This case was extremely challenging as it was 34 years old. However, the Crime Branch, using technical surveillance, old evidence, witness statements and DNA technology, solved the entire murder mystery." He added: "Scientific investigation has made it possible to trace the perpetrators even in such an old case."

Further investigation is underway. The case underscores how advances in forensic DNA technology are enabling Indian law enforcement to revisit and resolve cold cases that were once considered beyond reach.