On Friday, the Mumbai Sessions Court handed down a conviction to Parvez Tak, father of actor Laila Khan, for the murder of Laila, her mother, and four siblings.
This verdict stems from the horrifying incident that took place in February 2011 at their residence in Igatpuri. According to the prosecution’s case, the property dispute, primarily held in Shelina’s name, led to Parvez Tak fatally assaulting his wife. Subsequently, he eliminated Laila, her elder sister Amina, twin siblings Zara and Imran, and cousin Reshma, presumably to silence witnesses to his heinous act.
For months, the investigation into their disappearance unfolded, marked by fluctuating theories. Authorities delved into a farmhouse in Igatpuri, near Nashik, owned by the family, which had suffered partial damage from a fire. Additionally, several months later, a vehicle owned by the family surfaced in Jammu and Kashmir. However, despite these leads, it failed to provide any substantial clues regarding their whereabouts.
The initial breakthrough in the case occurred when investigators discovered that the actress’s mobile phone records indicated her last presence in Nashik in February 2011, just before she vanished. Suspicion surrounding Tak deepened when a vehicle belonging to the family was located in Jammu and Kashmir, Tak’s place of origin.
As per the police, Tak is Khan’s stepfather, the third spouse of her mother, Shelina. Allegedly, Tak’s murderous spree began with Shelina, following a dispute over property at the Igatpuri residence. Subsequently, he eliminated Khan, her elder sister Amina, twin siblings Zara and Imran, along with cousin Reshma, purportedly to silence witnesses to his actions. Additionally, authorities claimed that Tak guided them to the burial site where he had interred the victims’ remains in a pit at the farmhouse.
The gruesome killings remained concealed until several months later when Parvez Tak came under the scrutiny of Jammu and Kashmir Police for unrelated criminal charges, leading to the discovery of the decomposed bodies at a farmhouse in Igatpuri. During the trial, approximately 40 witnesses, including Selina’s previous spouses, provided crucial testimony. Parvez Tak maintained his innocence, alleging flaws in the police investigation and claiming he was wrongly accused.
It’s a tragic conclusion to the mysterious disappearance of Laila Khan, whose father Nadir Patel had initiated a search for her in 2011. Now, as the court prepares to determine Parvez Tak’s sentencing on May 14, the full weight of this harrowing ordeal weighs heavily on those involved and the memory of the lives lost.
