Noida Dowry Murder: Court Denies Bail to Nikki Bhati's Husband and In-Laws
Noida Court rejectes bail pleas of Nikki Bhati’s husband and in-laws
A Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Noida on September 11, rejected the bail pleas of Nikki Bhati’s husband Vipin Bhati, his brother Rohit, and parents Daya and Satveer, who were arrested following allegations of dowry harassment and murder.
Nikki, 28, died of severe burn injuries on August 21 after being allegedly set on fire at her marital home in Kasna. She succumbed to her injuries while being shifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital the same day.
The bail applications, filed by Advocate Amit Bhati Bodaki, claimed Nikki’s death resulted from a cylinder blast, submitting CCTV footage purportedly showing Vipin outside the house at the time of the incident.
However, Advocate Udham Singh, appearing for the complainant countered, stating police had found no evidence of a cylinder blast, and accused the defence of attempting to mislead the court.
Chief Judicial Magistrate RK Sagar, while rejecting the bail pleas, noted the seriousness of the allegations and observed, “The allegation against the accused is of murdering the sister of the plaintiff by pouring inflammable substance on her along with the co-accused. The case is session triable, non-bailable, and of serious nature. There are no sufficient grounds for bail in the facts and circumstances of the case. Therefore, the bail application is rejected.”
The Court emphasized the gravity of the charges and concluded that the accused were not entitled to relief at this stage.
Notably, in August, Police in Greater Noida had arrested all four family members accused in the dowry-related killing of 28-year-old Nikki Bhati. The suspects include Nikki’s husband Vipin Bhati (30), her brother-in-law Rohit Bhati (28, married to Nikki’s sister), and her in-laws Dayavati “Daya” Bhati (55) and Satveer Bhati (55).
According to Kasna Police officials, Vipin and his mother Daya doused Nikki with a flammable liquid and set her on fire inside the family home on August 21. The entire assault was reportedly captured on video by Nikki’s sister Kanchan (who witnessed the attack).
Nikki was rushed to hospital with severe burns but died later that night. An FIR was registered at Kasna Police Station on August 22 under murder and related charges, and reports say that the police have now arrested all four accused.
The Kasna FIR invokes sections 103(1) (murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The charges stem from the accusation that Vipin Bhati, aided by in-laws Daya and Satveer Bhati, brutally beat Nikki over ongoing dowry demands and set her ablaze. According to reports, Nikki’s family told police that the in-laws had repeatedly demanded more dowry (reportedly around Rs. 36 lakh) even after receiving gifts including a car, motorcycle and jewelry. Videos that surfaced on social media show Vipin dragging the screaming victim by the hair and pouring a solvent on her before lighting a match. One clip shows Nikki engulfed in flames on a staircase moments before collapsing. Kasna investigators have cited these clips; recorded by Kanchan, as key evidence in the case.
Arrests were made over the week of August 23–25. Vipin Bhati was first taken into custody on August 23; during a routine hospital check he tried to flee and was shot in the leg by police before being recaptured. He was then produced before a magistrate, which remanded him to 14 days’ judicial custody on August 24. The next day the police arrested Vipin’s mother, Dayavati, at their Sirsa village home. On August 25, officers arrested Vipin’s brother Rohit Bhati and father Satveer Bhati— both of whom had been evading arrest. By that time, as media reports note, “all four individuals named in the FIR” – Vipin, Rohit, Daya (Dayavati) and Satveer Bhati – were in custody. All suspects have been lodged in Kasna police lock-up pending further proceedings; no bail has been granted.
Throughout the probe, police have emphasized evidence and witness testimony. Along with the videos, Nikki’s sister Kanchan has given statements alleging years of torture and dowry abuse by her in-laws. Kasna police say they have recovered the solvent and matchstick used in the crime and are examining forensic evidence from the crime scene.
Vipin Bhati has remained defiant, denying the charges from his hospital bed; “I did not kill her. She died on her own,” he was quoted as saying– even as authorities say he showed “no remorse” for the killing. All the while, Nikki’s distraught family has demanded the strictest punishment. In a public protest outside Kasna station, Nikki’s father Bhikari Singh Payla urged that the accused be given the death penalty, accusing them of slaughtering his daughter over paid-off dowry demands.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) had also intervened in the case, taking suo motu notice and calling for a fair, speedy investigation. The NCW had written to the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police on August 25, demanding a detailed report within three days and instructing the police to ensure the safety of Nikki’s family and all witnesses. It emphasized that “adequate security” be provided to protect the victim’s relatives as the case progresses. NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar also reiterated the need to apprehend all accused, noting that the police should make “immediate arrest of all individuals” involved.
At present, the four accused remain behind bars.
[Inputs: TOI]