Family claims 20-yr-old is innocent, stages protest

Family and friends of 20-year-old Shajeb Khan, who is currently in police custody for allegedly killing the 67-year-old father-in-law of producer Sajid Nadiadwala five days ago, held demonstration inside Shahjeb’s housing society in Versova on Sunday.

Family and friends of 20-year-old Shajeb Khan, who is currently in police custody for allegedly killing the 67-year-old father-in-law of producer Sajid Nadiadwala five days ago, held demonstration inside Shahjeb’s housing society in Versova on Sunday. The family claimed that the youth was innocent and that the deceased, Aziz-ul-Rehman Khan had actually committed suicide after prolonged depression.

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The police, meanwhile, said their investigation is in progress.

Around 100 friends, family members and relatives of Shajeb gathered in the quadrangle of Saurabh Apartments at Versova on Sunday afternoon, carrying placards reading ‘Shajeb is innocent.’ His family said they were doubly distraught as they first lost Khan, and then Shajeb was falsely implicated in his murder.

Asma Habib Khan, Shajeb’s aunt said Shajeb had been talking to her inside his fourth floor residence when Khan allegedly jumped to his death. According to Asma, at around 9.45am on Tuesday, Shajeb’s younger brother, Keejer,13, opened the door and saw Khan outside, who told Keejer he was going to the terrace to take a walk. Shajeb was speaking to Asma at the time.

Soon afterward, they heard a loud thud, following which they rushed to the staircase only to find Khan lying on the ground floor.

“It was Shajeb who rushed him [Khan] to the hospital. On his way, Khan held Shajeb’s hands and begged him not to let go of him,” claimed Asma.

At 1pm, Khan’s son, Mohsin told the police that Khan had been pushed to death. The police arrested Shajeb on murder charges.

“He was depressed and on medication,” said Salma Salim Kara, Khan’s sister.

According to the police, Khan and Shajeb’s father, Khalid had a longstanding property dispute. Khan was allegedly pushed to death by Shajeb after the two had an argument outside the latter’s house on Tuesday morning. Khan was flung over the staircase wall, barely three feet away from the door and fell four floors through the gap in the staircase. He died at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Tuesday.

“We have registered a case as per the complaint filed by Mohsin. We could not record Khan’s statement as he slipped into coma before his statement could be recorded,” said R More, inspector, Versova police station.