New suspect Ravindra Kantrole undergoes DNA test

The Cuffe Parade police investigating murders of three minor girls in south Mumbai added Ravindra Kantrole, of beer man-fame, to the list of suspects and conducted a DNA profiling test on him on Tuesday.

The Cuffe Parade police investigating murders of three minor girls in south Mumbai added Ravindra Kantrole, of beer man-fame, to the list of suspects and conducted a DNA profiling test on him on Tuesday.

The officials stated that he was an accused in previous incidents of serial murders that took place in Mumbai in 2006-07 and hence, they conducted a test on him. He was, however, acquitted in all the previous cases due to lack of evidence at the time.

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Following the development in the Cuffe Parade case, Kantrole’s lawyer S Kunjuraman stated that they would soon move the high court against the concerned police officers.

Since investigation in the three cases has failed to move forward, investigators have been rounding up suspects from the neighbourhood to interrogate them and have been conducting tests. The probe, however, took a surprising turn after the police conducted DNA test on Kantrole.

Iqbal Shaikh, ACP, Colaba division, said, “We have conducted a DNA test on Kantrole. He was the prime accused in the serial murders that took place a few years back. We are taking all possible measures to nail the accused in the three cases and hence conducted a DNA test on him too”.

However, Kantrole’s lawyer Kunjuraman said, “Kantrole was picked up on Monday for questioning. The police then called him back on Tuesday and collected his semen sample for DNA testing. This is pure violation of his fundamental rights as he has been acquitted by the Bombay high court in all the previous cases.”

In an attempt to spread awareness among slum dwellers, the Cuffe Parade police have put up several posters in their jurisdiction asking parents to take care of their kids. Meanwhile, the police have conducted DNA tests on at least 900 suspects out of which reports of 250 have already come negative. The police are also awaiting results of Kantrole.