Full Breakdown
Delhi Court Criticizes Gurugram Police Over Mishandled Cremation of Yuvraj Singh Manchanda
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Mishandled Handling and Cremation
A Delhi Judicial Magistrate First Class, Rahul Jain, questioned Gurugram Police on September 26 2026 for cremating the body of real-estate professional Yuvraj Singh Manchanda on September 14 without identification or preservation of forensic material. The court noted that a burnt watch and kada were recovered from the cremation site and that the police failed to follow mandatory procedures for an unidentified body.
Background of the Case
Yuvraj Singh Manchanda, 31, was last seen by his sisters on September 6 after dropping them at Lajpat Nagar market and travelling to a meeting in Gurugram. Delhi Police allege that his former colleague Anya Vats and her partner Sanyam Sachdeva shot him inside a car that night, kept the body in the vehicle for two days, and dumped it in a drain in Badshahpur on September 8. The accused were later arrested in Kaichi Dham, Uttarakhand, on September 16.
Timeline of Key Events
- September 6 – Manchanda allegedly shot and his body placed in Vats’s SUV.
- September 8 – Body dumped in a drain.
- September 10 – Gurugram Police recovered the unidentified body.
- September 11 – An FIR concerning Manchanda’s disappearance was registered at Lajpat Nagar police station.
- September 12 – Delhi Police uploaded Manchanda’s photograph and details on ZIPNET.
- September 14 – Police cremated the body as “unidentified” without prior identification.
- September 16 – Anya Vats and Sanyam Sachdeva arrested.
- September 26 2026 – Court hearing and criticism of police procedures.
Conflicting Postmortem Findings
Two post-mortem reports submitted by Gurugram Police contain materially different conclusions. One report lists bullet injuries as the cause of death, while the other attributes death to asphyxia resulting from ante-mortem drowning. The court also observed that the viscera were not preserved and that no post-mortem videography was produced.
Official Statements & Responses
Senior advocate Amit Prasad, representing Manchanda’s sister Harsimran, alleged that the police’s handling amounted to destruction of evidence intended to “save the culprits.” He argued that the court has ancillary powers to direct preservation and production of material related to the deceased.
The court rebuked the attending Gurugram officer for offering “no concrete response” to its queries and warned that the lapses deprived the family of their right to perform last rites.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Do you not upload details of an unidentified body on ZIPNET in cases of murder or otherwise? Isn’t that the procedure followed by Gurugram Police?” — the court
- “How can a body be cremated along with belongings? How can the law not be followed,” — Judicial Magistrate Rahul Jain
Data & Statistics
- Days between recovery and cremation: 4 (September 10 – September 14).
- Time between FIR filing and cremation: 3 days (September 11 – September 14).
- Arrest date of accused: September 16, two days after the cremation.
The court reserved its order on the sister’s application and indicated that it will consider further directions on preservation of forensic evidence and the chain of custody of personal belongings recovered from the cremation site.