Eighty-one-year-old, recently acquitted of stabbing girlfriend (now 80) in 1977, says he never stopped loving her and wants to marry her; promises to send her a proposal
Chandrashekhar Madhukar Kalekar with Advocate Sunil Pandey. Pic/By Special Arrangement
I still love her and want to marry her,” says 81-year-old Chandrashekhar Madhukar Kalekar, who was acquitted on Thursday in a 48-year-old attempt-to-murder case. Kalekar was arrested in October 2025 by the Colaba police for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend in 1977 and then vanishing after securing bail.
Out of 15 witnesses in the case, 10 had died, and the remaining five could not be traced. The court eventually contacted the victim, now 80 and living in the US, over a video call. She told the court that Kalekar never stabbed her and refused to identify him, leading to his acquittal. Kalekar told mid-day he is grateful to her. “I want to thank her. I still love her and want to marry her,” he said.
The 1977 incident
According to police, Kalekar, then 33, was in a relationship with a woman from Lalbaug while living in Haji Kasam Chawl near Hindmata Cinema and working in Worli. The two attended parties together and grew close.
Police alleged that he suspected her of having another relationship and, in a fit of rage, stabbed her multiple times on her stomach and hand. The Colaba police arrested him and he spent 15 days in jail before being released on bail.
Soon after, he disappeared, shifting between Lalbaug, Mahim, Goregaon, and Badlapur, and stopped attending court hearings, prompting summons and a R10,000 surety fine.
Tracing him decades later
A special team tracked voter records and RTO data, eventually finding that Kalekar renewed his driving licence in 2024. His updated photo was shown to acquaintances, confirming his identity. He was re-arrested on October 14, 2025, and released on bail three days later.
Acquittal and a proposal
Advocate Sunil Pandey said, “There were 15 witnesses in the case. Ten had died, and five were untraceable. Only the victim was located in the US. The court video-called her; she is nearly 80 years old. She told the court that Kalekar did not stab her and that she did not remember such an incident. She also refused to identify him. On this basis, my client was acquitted on Thursday.”
Speaking to mid-day, an emotional Kalekar said, “I did not stab my ex-girlfriend. I loved her. I was framed. Because of this case, I lost my job and my reputation in society. Last year, I lost my wife, and then in October, the police arrested me again. I was innocent.”
He added, “I still love her. If she is ready, I am ready to marry her. She is in the US. I will send my proposal to her. I want to thank her for helping me and saving me from a case in which I was wrongly accused.”
Last wish
Kalekar further said, “Because of this case, I never got a passport, and my wish was to visit Singapore. Now I will apply for a passport and go to Singapore on a tour. I thank the court, my ex-girlfriend, and advocate Sunil Pandey for helping me.”
1977
Year the incident occurred
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