Cuffe Parade murder case: Mumbai Police fail to make headway

MUMBAI: The police, probing the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl whose body was found floating in the sea near Maker Towers in Cuffe Parade, seem to have hit a dead end. The footage obtained from CCTVs installed in and around Maker Towers has not shed any light on the identity of the killer. Said a senior officer involved with the probe, said on Tuesday that the police had checked footage from the area from the time the victim went missing late last Wednesday till her body was discovered the next morning.
"We checked the footage closely, but couldn't spot anyone coming and dumping the body in the sea." We will check how the accused managed to go undetected," he said.
A parallel probe has been launched by the crime branch, which is already investigating the previous two murders of minor girls in Cuffe Parade where the role of a serial killer is suspected. On Tuesday, crime branch officers summoned the victim's great grandmother, Rani Fernandes, to identify a man, Vijay Chakraborty, who is a suspect in the previous cases. Rani identified Vijay as the man the who came to her house a month and a half ago and refused to leave for more than an hour. Vijay, allegedly a druggie, was sporting a red bandana similar to the one found on the victim's body.
"We have detained Ambedkar Nagar resident Vijay and are questioning him. He was detained in the past as well at the time of the last murder in January as well. He had refused to divulge any information and his DNA sample was sent for testing.
We had to let him go after 24 hours and are still awaiting the result of his DNA test," said a crime branch officer.
The victim's grandfather, James Fernandes, was detained by the crime branch on Monday evening. He said he was beaten and given electric shocks for almost four hours. "The police were putting pressure on me to confess to killed my granddaughter.
They even beat up my brother and said they will make one of us confess to the crime," he said. Fernandes and his brother were let off around 9pm on Monday.after the police failed to get any evidence of their involvement. Fernandes was allegedly detained illegally for 36 hours last week after the victim went missing. His DNA has also been sent for testing, but the results haven't come yet.
DCP (zone 1) Chering Dorjee said he will request the forensic science lab oratory (FSL) in Kalina to treat this case as top priority. "We have urged them to expedite the testing process and send us the results immediately," he said.
Engineers are in the process of installing CCTV cameras in Ambedkar Nagar chawl and surrounding areas.
CCTV cameras are being installed in and around Amdedkar Nagar and the police will form a Police said the work would finish in the next few days after which a special team to monitor the footage constantly. to check for any suspicious activity.