Following the discovery of previously ‘missing evidence’ in a case involving a man previously incarcerated for more than two decades before the charges were dismissed, the town where it all began has issued a statement.
The recovered evidence relates to the case against Sandeep “Sonny” Bharadia who was arrested by the Thunderbolt Police Department in 2001 for a host of egregious charges, including Aggravated Sodomy, Sexual Battery, Burglary and Theft. TheGeorgiaVirtue.com recently published a lengthy expose on the case, focusing largely on the appointment of the detective at the time, Trey Conners, now working as the Evidence Custodian at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
In short, various attorneys, including those from The Georgia Innocence Project, have long argued that the case was flawed from the jump and though a jury found Bharadia guilty and a judge sentenced him to prison, appeals for years focused on missing evidence, faulty photo lineups, and untruthful testimony made under oath, among other things. Over the course of appeals, DNA evidence found on gloves believed to be connected to the crime effectively excluded Bharadia as a match.
In 2024, the verdict was overturned in a habeas ruling and a judge ordered the case be sent back to Chatham County for a new trial. In August 2024, a judge set a bond for Bharadia, pending a new trial and he was released shortly thereafter. Ultimately, in May 2025, the District Attorney’s Office filed paperwork to dismiss the case, declining to re-try Bharadia. You can read the detailed case background here.
Then, in early March, the district attorney’s office said it located evidence previously believed to be missing or lost.
The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported that Bharadia’s case was reviewed because of Bharadia’s lawsuit against the town of Thunderbolt and the potential for additional litigation. The paper reported that District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones told them, “We thought maybe we’d take a look at the Bharadia case to just assess what legal issues still remain, if we needed to anticipate a statutory claim. Just to cross our T’s and dot our i’s.”
A local television station based in Savannah reported that staff from the District Attorney’s Office was sent to Thunderbolt PD to ‘review old files and old cases.’
Following the news of the newly discovered evidence, however, Thunderbolt released a statement to TheGeorgiaVirtue:
The Town of Thunderbolt is aware that evidence relevant to a sexual assault, which occurred within the
Town limits in November 2001, has recently been discovered among old, archived files at the Thunderbolt
Police Department. The location of this evidence was previously unknown, and the Town deeply regrets
that it was not discovered sooner. We recognize the significance of this development and understand the
strong interest and concern within our community. The impact of this evidence on the case is being
investigated by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office, and the Town is cooperating with that
investigation.
First and foremost, the Town extends its deepest sympathies to the victim of this sexual assault. We
acknowledge the lasting impact that acts of sexual violence have on survivors, and we remain committed
to safeguarding and protecting all our citizens.
The Town is also aware that the individual previously convicted in this case was released from custody
after serving a substantial period of incarceration and that the charges against him were subsequently
dismissed by entry of a nolle prosequi. We recognize that questions have been raised regarding the
integrity of the original conviction, and we take such concerns seriously.
The Town is hopeful that this evidence will provide justice and closure for the victim and all others
involved. Because this case is the subject of pending litigation involving the Town, we can offer no further
comment. We appreciate the public’s understanding as this matter proceeds through the appropriate
legal channels.
