We, the undersigned, urge the Court to detain and deny any pre-trial release request for Kishan Sheth, the accused murderer of Rita Acharya who is currently detained at New Jersey’s Bergen County Jail.

The heinous nature of the crime that Kishan Sheth is believed to have committed, and other relevant factors enumerated below, clearly convey that Kishan Sheth poses a significant risk to not only the family of the now-deceased victim Rita Acharya but also poses a real danger to the greater public. We urge that Kishan Sheth remain in custody for the following reasons: 

1. Severity of the Crime: Kishan Sheth is accused of first-degree murder, and was arrested following a homicide investigation, conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, which revealed the following:
   • Kishan Sheth violently murdered Rita Acharya by strangling and stabbing her.
   • Kishan Sheth stole Rita Acharya’s vehicle and debit card.
   • Kishan Sheth attempted to conceal his crimes before leaving the area.
   • Following the investigation, Sheth was taken into custody and charged with N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(1); first-degree felony murder, N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(3); first-degree home invasion resulting in serious bodily injury, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2.1; second-degree unlawfully disturbing, moving or concealing human remains, N.J.S.A. 2C:22-1a(1); third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4d; third-degree theft of moveable property, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7A; third-degree theft of coming into control of property belonging to another, 2C:21-6H; and third-degree theft by extortion, N.J.S.A 2C:20-25C  The violent nature of these charges indicates that Kishan Sheth poses a significant  threat to public safety. 
      
2. Flight Risk: Given the gravity of the charges and the potential for a lengthy prison sentence, Sheth poses a substantial flight risk. Moreover: 
   • His status as a foreign national/visa-holder / non-citizen with international connections including housing and financial assistance abroad, further increases this risk.
   • Kishan Sheth is an international student, studying and residing in New Jersey, at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), whose parents and immediate family reside in India.
   • NJIT is taking action to protect its students and community from the risk that Kishan Sheth poses to them. According to ABC7 Eyewitness News, NJIT released a statement, highlighting that “Sheth has been placed on interim suspension, pending the outcome of an investigation and conduct hearing. This action precludes his access to campus and suspends his participation in classes throughout the conduct and disciplinary process.”
   • Kishan Sheth has previously been accused, at least twice of, theft including from the victim Rita Acharya, and following those accusations, Kishan Sheth fled/traveled/returned to India. It is reasonable to conclude that Kishan Sheth may again plan to flee New Jersey before his trial.                                                              
3. Premeditation: The charges suggest that Kishan Sheth engaged in a high level of planning and premeditation; Sheth entered the victim's home with the intent to harm her. This indicates a calculated approach that could extend to future attempts to evade trial if he is granted bail.                                                                                                            
4. Threat to the Victim's Family and the Indian American community in South Jersey: The brutal nature of the crime and the nature of the relationship that Kishan Sheth has with the victim and her family suggests that Sheth poses a clear and present danger to the victim’s family members and friends Further: 
   • Kishan Sheth and his parents knew the victim Rita Acharya and stayed in her home as guests and have intimate knowledge of her family and friends.
   • Kishan Sheth has personal identifying information and contact information of not only the deceased victim Rita Acharya, but also of her family members and close friends. Kishan Sheth has previously attempted to steal the deceased victim’s identity, and after he was caught, he traveled back to India.                                
5. Financial Motives: Kishan Sheth’s alleged theft of the victim's debit card and subsequent withdrawal of $4,500 demonstrates a willingness to commit future financial crimes to facilitate his attempt to flee New Jersey and even the United States if he is released on bail. Kishan Sheth has previously been accused of theft from other community members in South Jersey.

We implore the Court to prioritize public safety and the integrity of the judicial process by denying bail to Kishan Sheth. 

The severity of the charges, the risk of flight, and the potential danger to the community and witnesses necessitate his continued detention until his trial is completed. By signing this petition, we stand united in demanding justice for Rita Acharya and the protection of her family and our community from violent offenders. 

We urge the authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure that Kishan Sheth remains in custody throughout the legal proceedings. 

Reference: 

1. Press Release, Bergen County Prosecutor's Office
2. ABC News Article

Other Sources:

ABC7 New York​

NorthJersey.com​

News 12 New Jersey​

TAPino Paramus​

Yahoo​

Daily Voice