Kirti Vyas (second from right) and the two accused Siddhesh Tamhankar and Khushi Sahjwani (second and third from left) with other colleagues

"My brother is innocent." These were the first words out of Siddhesh Tamhankar's elder sister Suchitra when mid-day visited their home yesterday. "Ever since she [Kirti Vyas] went missing, he has been with her family as well as cooperating with the investigators — first, the DB Marg police, and then, the crime branch. He's showed up every time he's been called in for questioning."