25 May,2012 06:27 AM IST | | Vinay Dalvi
Delhi-based businessman and aspiring producer Karan Kakkad pleaded for a peaceful death before his killer Vijay Palande (pic), and that is why the latter forced him to consume sleeping pills. The Crime Branch investigating the case of Vijay Bhimajirao Palande who allegedly killed Kakkad and smalltime actor Anuj Tikku's father Arun, has learnt that Kakkad had begged Palande to spare him a painful end.
According to Crime Branch sources, Palande mixed four sleeping pills in coffee and gave it to Kakkad. "When nothing happened to him, Palande poured 10 more pills in his mouth with some water, and then allegedly strangulated him," said a police officer from Crime Branch on the condition of anonymity.
On March 15, Palande kidnapped Kakkad and later killed him in his apartment in Oberoi Springs, Lokhandwala, Andheri (W). Police said that Kakkad had lost around Rs 2 crore in cricket betting. When Palande got wind of his riches, he decided to kidnap him. "But when Palande realised that Kakkad had nothing, he threatened that he would kill him. Kakkad then pleaded with him, saying that if at all he wanted to kill him, he could (please) give him some sleeping pills before that," said the officer.
After killing Kakkad, Palande took his body to the bathroom where he and his two associates started the shower and began hacking the body. "They continued the chopping job till early morning, then crammed the pieces in a bag, took it to Kumbharli Ghat in Konkan, and threw it away to eliminate any proof of the crime," said the police officer. In all, six cases have been registered against Palande: for murdering Arun Tikku, murdering Karan Kakkad, for custody of weapons, for possessing a fake passport, for absconding from police custody, for forging papers to mislead cops into believing that Simran Sood was his sister when she is his wife.
"The sixth case has been transferred to the Crime Branch, and Palande will again land in the their custody. It looks difficult for him to get bail and walk free with all these serious charges leveled against him," said a police officer.u00a0
