Film producer killed for BMW, money; starlet held

Vijay Palande, the main accused in the Karan Kakkad murder case, gave the police three reasons for having murdered the 26-year-old aspiring producer — money, the BMW, and constant fights between them. HT reports.

Vijay Palande, the main accused in the Karan Kakkad murder case, gave the police three reasons for having murdered the 26-year-old aspiring producer — money, the BMW, and constant fights between them.

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According to the police, Palande's accomplice and a model-cum-actress Simran Sood met Kakkad after he shifted to Oberoi Springs in Lokhandwala from Delhi a year ago.

Sood introduced Palande to Kakkad as her brother 'Karan Sood'. She claimed he had several contacts and could help Kakkad get the finance for his production house. However, recently things began going awry, following which Palande decided to 'eliminate' him, the police said.

"Palande said Kakkad owed him money. Also, he wanted the BMW and the third reason was that they had been having several arguments," said an official requesting anonymity.

According to the official, the motive was the same in the three other murders that Palande has been held accountable for.

In 1998, Palande murdered Anup Das and his father Swaraj Ranjan for their property and had misappropriated Rs 7 lakh from Anup's account. In April, he murdered Arunkumar Tikku because he wanted his three flats in Lokhandwala.

"All the murders have been for money or property. In Kakkad's case, he took his BMW and dropped it at a friend's residence in Pune. We do not know if more money was involved yet," the official said.

Also, the modus operandi has been similar. Palande used chloroform while taking Anup Das to Lonavla. He then murdered him and threw his body in the Kumbharli ghat. Palande also threw Kakkad's body down the same ghat. With Anuj Tikku, the plan was to abandon the body on the highway close to Chiplun, but the plan was foiled.

"The modus operandi is to find a rich victim, learn about what he wants [in Anup's case marriage and in Kakkad's case finance], lure him into a trip, sedate him, murder him and then throw his body somewhere along the highway," the official said, adding that Sood would play the role of the perfect catalyst.