Mumbai: Crime Branch refuses to file 2nd FIR in Santacruz poisoning case

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch has refused to file a second FIR in a case involving the poisoning death of a man in Santacruz last year. Officials said the decision was taken on the basis of legal opinion.

Family members of the man claim that his wife and her lover – who are already in custody in connection with the case – also poisoned his mother.

Kavita, alias Kajal Shah, 45, and Hitesh Jain, 46, are suspects in the murder of Kajal’s husband, businessman Kamalkant Kapurchand Shah.

Victim's wife gave food spiked with arsenic

Kajal allegedly gave Shah food spiked with small amounts of arsenic and thallium over a period of time. Shah was admitted to an Andheri hospital in September 2022 after he fell sick. When his condition did not improve, he was admitted to Bombay Hospital, where he died on September 19. A heavy-metals test revealed the presence of excessive arsenic and thallium in Shah’s body.

Hospital authorities informed the Azad Maidan Police Station about the case. Azad Maidan police registered an FIR and handed it over to Santacruz Police Station.

The investigation was eventually handed over to the Crime Branch, which found that Jain had brought arsenic and thallium to Kajal, which she mixed in food, tea and juice and gave to Kamalkant.

Kajal and Jain were arrested in December last year.

Victim's sister informed that her mother also died due to same illness

At the time of Shah’s death, his sister had informed the police that their mother had also passed away a few days earlier and they both reportedly had the same illness. However, the mother’s death was not treated as suspicious because she was 72 years old and no post-mortem examination was carried out either.

According to the sister’s statement, Shah’s health started deteriorating three days after their mother’s death. Last week the family approached the police and sought a separate FIR.

However, the police told the family that the cause of the mother’s death will be listed in the first FIR. The fact of her death is already mentioned, an official said.