11 July,2012 08:54 AM IST | | Shiva Devnath
The Mumbai Crime Branch (CB) finally made a much-awaited breakthrough in the Laila Khan case with the discovery of human remains of six individuals buried in the backyard of the starlet's farmhouse in Igatpuri along with two mobile phones.
After descending on the spot early on Monday morning and working throughout the day and late into the night with no success, the sleuths found the remains buried around six feet deep on the premises yesterday evening.
Where the bodies lay: Cops cordon off Laila Khan's home and laid a barricade around the home stretching for over 12-km. The police dug up five spots before they found the remains. Tak who until now had been booked for kidnapping, will now be booked for murders. Pics/Sameer Markande
Crime Branch official resumed the search operations yesterday by 11 am and finally made the discovery around 5 pm.
Police personnel from eight police stations in Igatpuri and personnel from various police training schools in Nashik district were roped in to keep the media at bay.
Over a thousand personnel turned the location into an impenetrable fortress by laying siege and barricading a 12-km radius surrounding the property and the routes leading to it, including the three kilometre stretch from the highway.
Digging deep
Five buses full of police personnel from Mumbai reached the spot, Parvez Ahmed Tak was secretly brought in a police mobile van and three teams of forensic experts followed suit.
According to the police, Tak has proved a hard nut to crack and had been misleading his interrogators.
After pointing out five spots, which were dug up with no success, they finally found the right spot after Tak was treated to stronger measures.
A temporary tent was erected over the spot and the digging began.
By 5 pm and four feet into the dig, the sleuths began finding bones.
The digging continued till the trench was six feet deep and besides human remains, the sleuths found two mobile phones and a pillow, which they suspect was used in the crime.
Forensic experts have taken the bones, fingerprints and other vital evidence, which will be sent to the Kalina lab.
DNA taken from the spot will be matched with Nadir Patel to ascertain if they belong to Laila and the rest of her family.
Tak who until now had been booked for kidnapping, will now be booked for murders.
DCP Ambadas Pote of the CB confirmed the findings. He said, "The investigation is progressing in the right direction and only after the forensic reports it will be established if the remains are of Laila and her family."
Sonu returns from Dubai
Tak in his confession to the J&K Police said he and Shakir Hussein, both residents of Nali Bhunzwah, Kishtwar District, J&K, murdered all six family members a few days before the victims were to leave for Dubai. Laila Khan was going to Dubai to solemnise her marriage with Sonu alias Vafi Khan, who is the son of close Dawood aide Kamal Jadhwani. Based on Tak's confession, the Mumbai Crime Branch summoned Jadhwani for questioning. Six hours later, he spoke to his son in Dubai and convinced him to return. Sonu reached Mumbai on Saturday and will be questioned by the CB today to ascertain his involvement in the case.u00a0
