Laila Khan, Movie ‘Wafa’ actress was not disappeared but murdered along with her four siblings and mother Selina Khan in 2011. Parvez Tak, the stepfather of the actress murdered and reallocated the bodies in their farmhouse at Igatpuri. The crime took place in a property dispute as Selina’s third husband Tak has a fear of being dumped alone in India and the rest of the family members would settle down in Dubia. The session court in Mumbai has convicted Tak under IPC.
Diving into the case
The actress has done many films but became famous after being paired opposite to Rajesh Khanna. The actress started her career in the Kannada film industry, Khan was known for her roles in several films. Suddenly, one day she disappeared along with her mother Shelina Patel and four siblings. After their disappearance, Khan’s father Nadir Patel sought police intervention to investigate the matter. Following months of investigation, various theories emerged regarding their disappearance. Authorities also looked into the family’s Igatpuri farmhouse near Nashik, which had sustained partial damage in a fire.
In a significant breakthrough, police found that Khan’s last known location, based on mobile records, was in Nashik in February 2011 before she vanished. Suspicion fell on Tak after the family’s vehicle was discovered in Jammu and Kashmir, Tak’s place of origin. According to police, Tak, Khan’s stepfather and Shelina’s third husband, is implicated in the case. Authorities allege that Tak murdered Shelina during a dispute over property at the Igatpuri bungalow. Subsequently, he allegedly killed Khan, her elder sister Amina, twin siblings Zara and Imran, and cousin Reshma to silence witnesses to Shelina’s murder.
Police investigations and court proceedings revealed that Tak led authorities to the burial site where he had concealed the remains of the victims in a pit at the farmhouse. During the trial, approximately 40 witnesses were examined, including Shelina’s former husbands. Tak claimed innocence, alleging flaws in the police investigation, including mishandling of the recovery of the victim’s skeletal remains. The court will deliberate on the prosecution and defence arguments regarding the sentencing on May 14. Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam chaired the prosecution until the case was adjourned for judgment last month, as per reports from The Express.
