Laila Khan murder: Defence lawyer alleges step-father Asif Shaikh killed the actor and her family

In a twist to the Laila Khan murder case, a defence lawyer said the startlet and her family may have been killed by her step-father Asif Shaikh, and not by accused Parvez Tak.

In a twist to the Laila Khan murder case, a defence lawyer said the startlet and her family may have been killed by her step-father Asif Shaikh, and not by accused Parvez Tak.

Shaikh, second husband of Laila’s mother Shelina, was the fifth prosecution witness examined by special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam. Tak — to whom Shelina, 51, was married after divorcing Shaikh — is facing trial for killing Laila, her mother, elder sister Azmina, twin siblings Zara and Imran and cousin Reshma. The family went missing in February 2011 from Mumbai.

The defence lawyer, Wahab Khan, had cross-examined Shaikh on several issues for days. In his deposition, Shaikh alleged that a jobless Tak wanted to push Laila and his sisters into prostitution in Dubai to earn money.

Last week while concluding his cross-examination, Wahab told the court, “There are circumstances which are against Shaikh and he might have killed the family.” He also pointed out that a complaint filed by Nadir Shah Patel, said to be the biological father of Laila, had named Shaikh as one of the suspects for the killing spree. However, the prosecution later brought Shaikh as a witness in the case.

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