Palande, 3 others chargesheeted in Tikku murder case

The Mumbai police crime branch on Friday filed a charge sheet against Vijay Palande and three others in the murder of Delhi-based businessman Arun Kumar Tikku, in a sessions court.

The Mumbai police crime branch on Friday filed a charge sheet against Vijay Palande and three others in the murder of Delhi-based businessman Arun Kumar Tikku, in a sessions court.

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Tikku, 62, was the father of small-time actor Anuj Tikku. Palande's accomplices Dhananjay Shinde and Manoj Gajkosh, allegedly murdered him on April 7.

Ambadas Pote, deputy commissioner of police, detection, confirmed the development.

Officials of the crime branch said the charge sheet was filed against Palande, wife Simran Sood, Shinde and Gajkosh.

The 1,656-page charge sheet contains details of call records, statements of witnesses, and the rent agreement that Palande had signed with Anuj. The police have charged all four with criminal conspiracy and murder.

According to a senior official, on April 7, Palande had taken Anuj to Chiplun.

"He had told Anuj to get ready for a trip to Goa. Anuj trusted Palande and went with him without even packing any clothes," an official said, adding that Palande had planned to kill the actor at Chiplun, but the crime branch team intervened in time and managed to catch him.

On April 7, Tikku came from Delhi and got into an altercation with the two. It was after this that Shinde and Gajkosh murdered the senior citizen. However, they were spotted by a building resident who called the police.

Police sources said Anuj had told the accused about him being the sold heir of properties in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities, collectively worth over Rs 50 crore.

Palande plotted to get the property transferred in his name and then kill Anuj.

According to the official, Palande drugged Anuj and made him write a suicide note. "Anuj recognised his handwriting and signature. He was made to write the letter a few days before his father was murdered," he said.