Pallavi Purkayastha murder: Killer jumps parole, Mumbai Police fumble

The Mumbai crime branch is likely to send a team to Jammu and Kashmir to trace murder convict Sajjad Mogul who jumped parole from Nashik central jail last month.

The Mumbai crime branch is likely to send a team to Jammu and Kashmir to trace murder convict Sajjad Mogul who jumped parole from Nashik central jail last month.

Sajjad Mogul, the convict in the Pallavi Purkayastha murder case, is escorted by policemen at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.(HT File Photo)

Mogul, 25, was jailed for brutally killing Delhi-based IAS officer’s daughter and lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha, 25, in 2012. He was a security guard at the apartment where Pallavi stayed with her live-in partner Avik Sengupta, who also passed away later due to shock.

Mumbai police spokesperson Ashok Dudhe said the crime branch has begun probe by visiting old places in the city where Mogul used to stay such as Wadala and there are chances of a team being sent to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), where Mogul hails from.

Mogul’s photos have been circulated across all police stations in the state. J&K police have been asked to do the same and send alert check points on the borders to ensure he doesn’t escape to the neighbouring countries.

Mogul was arrested from Mumbai central railway station a day after he murdered.

“He was arrested in nick of time, as he had drawn up plans to escape and may have even fled the country,” said a Mumbai police officer.

Pallavi’s father Atanu Purkayastha questioned the decision to grant parole to Mogul. “The opinion of the Mumbai police’s investigating officer was not asked… He was a security guard who was supposed to protect Pallavi, but killed her. How can he be granted parole?” Atanu said. Mogul tried to force himself on Pallavi and stabbed her to death when she resisted.

Sources said Mogul appealed for parole citing his mother’s illness. Jail officials verified her medical records and granted him parole on humanitarian grounds.

The conditions set before him was he would report to a local police station in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources said he did not report back to the jail by the end of May following which the prison department filed a case.