The murder of octogenarian M.S. Prasad, reported more than three years ago, has the dubious distinction of a case with too many incongruities.
Chikkadpally police had registered a case of suspicious death on March 6, 2010, when the retired RTC employee was found dead in his house.
However, since the autopsy concluded that it was a natural death, investigators closed the file in three weeks.
The victim’s brother-in-law, however, did not believe so and lodged a complaint, pointing a finger at one Sandeep Chaudhary, a history-sheeter. Chaudhary was later named prime suspect.
The accused had been meeting Prasad, who lived alone, pressurising him to sell his house.
Eventually, police arrested Chaudhary and two of his aides, Pavan and Prasad. The former had admitted to smothering Prasad to death as the victim had refused to sell the house.
Chaudhary then got the house registered in his name by allegedly bribing the local Sub-Registrar and took possession of the house.
The disturbing fact is how did the Chikkadpally police overlook the admission of the trio and not probe further?
Even routine inquiries would have revealed that Chaudhary had been trying to purchase the victim’s house. Since he was a history-sheeter, a probe into this angle would have raised suspicions of his involvement.
The right person to answer the question would have been the Sub-Inspector of the Chikkadpally police station who had registered and investigated the case. He, however, died in the interim.
The supervising officers too, for reasons best known to them, failed to review the case.
Mystery shrouds the factors that ‘prevented’ the SI from identifying that the victim was smothered to death.
And, how did the forensic doctor arrive at the conclusion that it was a natural death?
During an autopsy, there are not too many signs to confirm death by smothering.
If pressure is applied on the nose and mouth, evidence is found in the form of a bruise.
This would require a full facial dissection for confirmation.
Chaudhary reportedly told investigators that he had pressed his hands, wearing gloves soaked in chloroform, against the face of the old man.
Once he became unconscious, he pressed the nose and mouth of the victim for nearly five to 10 minutes, leaving him dead.
It is surprising that the forensic doctor failed to notice any bruises and surmised it to be a natural death.
Hyderabad Central Crime Station sleuths are now probing the possibility of the forensic doctor colluding with the accused in the case.
