Mumbai: The prosecution on Friday sought capital punishment for Parvez Tak, stepfather of actor Laila Khan, as he has been held guilty for killing her and her mother and four siblings in February 2011. Tak, a resident of Kashmir and third husband of Khan's mother Shelina, was arrested on July 8, 2012. Fourteen years after the murders, the court recently pronounced him guilty for killing Laila, 30, her elder sister Azmina, 32, twin siblings Zara and Imran, 25, cousin Reshma and Shelina, 51. The family had gone missing in February 2011 from Mumbai.
Public prosecutor Pankaj Chavan on Friday sought death penalty for Tak, while referring to the guidelines set by the apex court in the 1980 case against Bachan Singh. Chavan said that the murders were committed in an inhumane way as the victims were helpless women and children, and one of them was also a public figure. He contended that the case satisfies all the conditions set out by the top court to award a capital punishment. “They (victims) trusted him (Tak) hence they went with him. He was husband of one and father of others. He has killed six people in one go in their own house,” Chavan argued.
On the other hand, the defence objected to Chavan's appointment as public prosecutor. “In this case, a special public prosecutor was appointed, who conducted the case for 12 years,” said defence lawyer Wahab Khan. He further contended that after the appointment of the special public prosecutor was cancelled, Chavan has been assigned to handle the case. “What if his appointment is held illegal and he was not authorised to make submissions,” asked Khan. Chavan however, refuted the allegations and argued that his appointment is legal.
The victims were last seen in Igatpuri with Tak and a few days later, Khan’s Igatpuri house was set on fire. The actor's biological father and Shelina's first husband Nadir Patel had filed a missing complaint for Khan and other victims at the Oshiwara police station. He had alleged that Tak and Shelina's other husband Asif Shaikh were behind the crime. Police had detained Shaikh, but he was let off, and booked Tak for the murder as he was last seen with the family at Igatpuri. The latter had escaped to his native in Kashmir after the murders.
It is alleged that Tak and Shelina had an argument at Igatpuri bungalow where he fatally hit her with a blunt object. Later, he went on to assault other family members with the help of unknown persons and subsequently disposed of the body in a pit near the house before setting it ablaze.
The court will hear the arguments on May 21.
