Mumbai: Vijay Palande’s aide seeks discharge in murder case

Dhananjay Shinde, an accomplice of Vijay Palande, accused of several murders, has filed for discharge in the case where the crime branch found a human skull from Kumbharli Ghat in Chiplun, in April 2012.

Dhananjay Shinde, an accomplice of Vijay Palande, accused of several murders, has filed for discharge in the case where the crime branch found a human skull from Kumbharli Ghat in Chiplun, in April 2012.

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When Mumbai crime branch was investigating Arun Kumar Tikku’s murder, Palande had made a voluntary statement, saying the body of Karan Kakkad, an aspiring producer, was dumped in Chiplun. When they searched the area, crime branch officers found human skull and bones at the place.

A DNA test of the skull, however, to match it with the DNA of Kakkad’s mother and brother, had proved negative. Following this, the crime branch registered another case of murder over the unidentified human skull and bones.

Shinde’s lawyer Kaushik Mhatre said, “When the prosecution has not deciphered the identity of the skull in the course of the investigation, then how can they implicate Shinde in the case? No investigation has been carried out to link Shinde with the recovery of the skull,” said Mhatre.

He further stated there is no prima facie case against Shinde.

Vijay Palande and his associates Dhananjaya Shinde and Manoj Gajkosh have been accused of at least three murder cases, which include that of Arun Kumar Tikku, Bollywood producer Karan Kakkad and of the unidentified person whose skull and bones were recovered from Kumbharli Ghat.