Sajjad Mogul, the security guard who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mumbai-based lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha, has jumped parole. He was lodged at Nashik road prison . Mogul was to be back by the end of May, but has not returned. A case has been filed at Nashik Road police station, while Mumbai police sources said they will also try to trace him.
“Our opinion was not sought. The local police station will contact their counterparts at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir where Mogul is from,” said a Mumbai police officer, privy to the investigation.
Read: Mumbai lawyer Pallavi's killer gets life imprisonment
Mumbai police sources said they will also find out if there are some officers who know Mogul’s face or family members. “This was the first time he was granted parole. It was an important catch as he had decided to flee the city before he was caught at Mumbai Central railway station,” said the officer.
Pallavi’s father Atanu Purkayastha demanded the deputy commissioner of police and the jail superintendent “be sacked.” The distraught father questioned the decision of Mogul being granted parole. “The opinion of the Mumbai police’s investigating officer was not asked. There is an appeal petition pending before the high court because the Maharashtra government is seeking capital punishment for him. He was a security guard who was supposed to protect Pallavi, but killed her. How can he be granted parole?” Atanu said. Police are investigating about who gave surety for his parole.
Avik Sengupta, Pallavi’s live-in partner, who had been shocked by the incident, passed away last year owing to natural causes. “He took two lives and it needs to be investigated if there are any ulterior motives behind him being granted parole. First it was leniency by the judiciary because of which he was awarded life and now the police grant parole without application of mind,” Atanu said, adding it was the meticulous hard work of the Mumbai police that led to Mogul’s arrest from Mumbai Central railway station within 24 hours of the incident.
{{/usCountry}}Avik Sengupta, Pallavi’s live-in partner, who had been shocked by the incident, passed away last year owing to natural causes. “He took two lives and it needs to be investigated if there are any ulterior motives behind him being granted parole. First it was leniency by the judiciary because of which he was awarded life and now the police grant parole without application of mind,” Atanu said, adding it was the meticulous hard work of the Mumbai police that led to Mogul’s arrest from Mumbai Central railway station within 24 hours of the incident.
{{/usCountry}}The case
The law graduate was also working as a legal advisor to film-maker Farhan Akhtar’s firm Excel Entertainment when she was murdered on August 9, 2012. Mogul, who was employed as a watchman at the building, was found guilty of murder, molestation and criminal trespass.
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