Vijendra Nakte’s body was found at an isolated spot in Wadala on June 15

MUMBAI: It was a perfectly scripted murder . The quantity of poison administered was precise, it could not even be traced in the post-mortem examination. All accomplices had narrated a single version by rote and there was not a single slip-up by any of them. But, the police, who had filed an accidental death report, had a hunch there was something amiss in the water-tight story sold to them, just like Bollywood flick Drishyam . Recently, their persistent interrogation won and the key accused gave in.

On June 15, the body of a fisherman, Vijendra Nakte, 27, was found at an isolated spot at Ganesh Nagar in Wadala. The police identified the deceased and sent his body to KEM hospital for a post-mortem report. There was no external injury on the Wadala resident's body and foul play was ruled out. The doctors opined that he had died due to overdose of alcohol. The report stated: Opinion reserved, pending for necessary investigations and preserved the viscera final further investigations. Basis on this report, the Wadala police registered an accidental death report and handed over the body to Vijendra's brother Vishwas.

"During panchnama, we found Vijendra's sandals kept neatly next to his body. It was as if someone had dumped the body and then put the sandals there. Normally, drunkards or sick people fall down with their sandals or shoes. This raised our suspicion and we started a probe," said DCP Rashmi Karandikar.

Vishwas told the police his brother was in a relationship with one Kajal Patil from the same locality. "They were together for nearly five years before Kajal's parents, who opposed the relationship, got her married to a businessman in Satara two years ago. But the duo stayed in touch and Vijendra would often go to Satara to meet her. A police team went to Satara and questioned Kajal. She denied having met Vijendra," said an officer.

"Next day, we questioned Kajal's parents and siblings, including minors, in Wadala. All of them narrated the same sequence of events: 'They had invited Vijendra home for food on the occassion of Vat Poornima. He had food and left.' The similarity in each narrative raised our suspicion further," said sub-inspector Sushil Ingle, adding that Kajal was detained and during sustained interrogations, she spilled the beans. She has been arrested.

"She told the police Vijendra was insisting she leave her husband and marry him. He had started harassing her and hence, Kajal decided to kill him. She invited Vijendra to her parents' house and offered him food laced with rat poison. She then offered him alcohol. After some time, he said he felt uncomfortable and left, according to Kajal. The next day, his body was found near a construction site," he added.

The police suspect it was nearly impossible for Vijendra to have walked out till Ganeshwadi. "Vijendra must have died at Kajal's parent's home and later, they may have dumped the body there," said another officer. A rat poison bottle was found from a nearby gutter, said the police.

