The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has arrested three people in connection with the murder of an Air India engineer who was missing from his Mumbai residence since September. His body was later found in Gujarat.
Deepak Panchal (59), went missing on September 29, and his body was found in a jute sack in Brahmani dam in Morbi a week later. The police registered a case of murder against unknown persons and the Crime Branch Unit X initiated an investigation into the case.
“On the day that Panchal went missing, he told the last person he spoke to, who is now a witness in the case, that he was with three people from Gujarat. The witness told this to Panchal’s brother and he named the trio as suspects in his complaint,” a Unit X officer said.
Over the next two months, the Crime Branch picked up the three, identified as Jayantibhai Patel (64), Karan Parmar (27) and Rajubhai Agat (35), from various locations in the country and brought them to Mumbai for questioning.
Defaulted on payment
“We learnt that Panchal had agreed to be the guarantor for one of his friends who had sought a loan from Mr. Patel. On Panchal’s guarantee, Mr. Patel lent him ₹54 crore and when he failed to repay it on time, relations became strained between Panchal and Mr. Patel,” said senior police inspector Sunil Mane, Unit X.
On September 29, Panchal called the borrower to Mumbai and assured Mr. Patel that his loan would be repaid. Mr. Patel reached Panchal’s Andheri residence with the other two accused and Panchal called the borrower to ask where he was. However, the borrower claimed he had left in a hurry due to an emergency. This led to an argument and the accused allegedly forced Panchal into their car and took him to Gujarat.
An officer said, “The three assaulted Panchal severely in Mr. Patel’s farmhouse in Morbi and confined him there all night. Panchal, who had diabetes and other medical issues, died overnight and the next morning, the three men stuffed his body in a jute sack along with a concrete block and threw it in Brahmani dam.”
The accused were arrested on Thursday following their confession. They have been charged with murder and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code, Unit X officers said.
