NEW DELHI: In a dramatic turn in the high-profile murder case of international motorbike racer Asbak Mon Tharoth, his accused wife, Sumera Parvez, has approached the Supreme Court for bail, citing the urgent need to care for her young child. On Thursday, the Supreme Court granted the State of Rajasthan three weeks to respond to Parvez’s bail plea. Considering that she has been in custody for nearly three years, a two-judge bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Karol firmly stated, “Three weeks and no more.” The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on 24 March 2025. The case has drawn nationwide attention not only due to the nature of the crime but also because of the intricate personal relationships involved. Tharoth, a renowned international biker and a participant in the prestigious India Baja Off-Road Rally, was allegedly murdered in 2018 over a deeply personal vendetta. Parvez’s bail plea had previously been rejected by the Rajasthan High Court last year, prompting her to approach the apex court. Parvez, who stands accused of conspiring in her husband’s murder, has claimed in her plea that the case against her is part of a larger criminal conspiracy orchestrated by her late husband’s family. Her legal team, comprising senior advocate Sidharth Dave along with Renjith Marar and Tarini K. Nayak, argued, “The allegations against me are a malicious attempt to frame me. The charges are flimsy in nature.” She further questioned the delay in registering the First Information Report (FIR), which was filed in 2020—a full two years after the alleged crime. “The delay in filing the FIR in 2020, even though the crime allegedly took place in 2018, raises serious doubts about the credibility of the entire investigation and the overall version of the prosecution,” Parvez stated. On 24 January 2025, after hearing her bail plea, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Rajasthan government, directing it to submit a detailed response within four weeks. Parvez contended that the accusations against her—ranging from her failure to respond to a text message to brief phone calls with another accused—are far from sufficient to establish any criminal intent or conspiracy. “The allegations, including vague marital disputes with my late husband, do not prove my involvement in his death,” she asserted. Her legal team further argued that the key accusations were driven by personal vendetta, particularly from Tharoth’s mother and brother. “The investigation has been tainted by copy-pasted witness statements, further casting doubt on their authenticity. The key statements from the victim’s family and other witnesses are eerily similar, suggesting they were fabricated or coerced to support a predetermined narrative,” the plea stated. Parvez’s defence also highlighted that the primary motive for the crime, as per the chargesheet, was personal enmity between Tharoth and the other accused, Sanjay Kumar and Vishwas, who have already been granted bail. The animosity between them allegedly stemmed from a 2017 racing competition involving Tharoth, Sanjay, and Vishwas.
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