On February 22, the Bombay High Court acquitted 35-year-old Gopal Tanaji Shibe, a south Mumbai resident who was accused of murdering his brother. After the sessions court convicted him in early 2004, Gopal had filed an appeal in the HC on October 5, 2004.

On January 14, 2002, the VP Road police received a call from casting foundry owner Vinayak Guhagarkar saying that an employee, Sakharam Shibe, was found dead inside the foundry premises. According to the post mortem report, he had died of multiple rib and leg fractures. The police later arrested Gopal, Sakharam’s brother, and a resident of Kumbharwada, for the alleged murder.