Colaba occult murder: Accused was looking to kill twins since June

Anil Chugani at Colaba police station on Monday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Anil Chugani, 43, arrested for flinging his childhood friend's three-year-old daughter off his seventh-floor window, had been looking for an opportunity to kill her and her twin sister since June, police said on Monday. "My supernatural power ordered me to kill the child and I abided by the order," Chugani told investigators during his preliminary questioning.

Chugani told the police he did not get an opportunity to carry out his twisted act till Saturday, when he convinced the Hathiramanis to allow their twins Shanaya and Shreya (3) to go play in his Ashok Apartment flat near Radio Club. The police said they have recovered a diary from Chugani's flat, where he had written several times the line: 'Save your life, kill the twins, go to jail.'

The Hathiramanis

"Chugani said he had been jotting down minute observations about the twins since June," said an officer privy to the investigation. "There are over a dozen pages in the diary where he has written things like, 'I met her', 'I saw her', 'I leave', etc and he repeats 'Save your life, kill the twins, go to jail.'" Investigators said the diary also contained superstitious notes like what will happen if mosquitoes or butterflies fly over his right or left shoulder, and how his day will go if he saw a lizard.

Also Read: Colaba occult murder: Residents wary, clam up when asked about three-year-old's death

Failed attempts

The police told mid-day that Chugani had previously tried to get the twin-girl-child to his flat several times, but never succeeded. "He had been pursuing the Hathiramanis to send their children to play at his flat for a while," said an officer.

(From left) Anil Chugani, Shanaya Hathiramani and Ashok Bhardwaj, an eyewitness, who has been running a paan-shop in Colaba next to Ashok Apartments for the last 27 years

On Saturday, Chugani told them he would take the twins to his flat for a change. When the twins got ready, the six-year-old brother started crying as he too wanted to go along. The parents got him ready and sent him with his sisters and the nanny. Soon, he locked himself up in the bedroom with just Shanaya and allegedly flung her out of the window.

"He told us during interrogation that he killed the girl child to get rid of black magic by his former colleague Zubeda in Casablanca, Morocco and it was a supernatural power that ordered him to kill one of the twins," said the officer.

The officer said that the diary also mentions exactly how he would kill the twins. "He had written in his diary, 'When she comes, I will throw her out of the window'." Another officer said that the police will write to Interpol seeking co-operation from Morocco police to trace Zubeda, if they think it is a credible lead. "So far, we don't have any evidence against her except for Chugani's statement."

The police are also awaiting a recording of Chugani's call to the control room where he confessed to the crime. Investigators said the diary and the call recording will help them secure a conviction. Senior Inspector Shivaji Phadtare said they have added sections of the anti-superstition and black magic law the existing FIR against Chugnani."

Also Read: Colaba occult murder: Even autopsy surgeons were moved

When horror struck

Ashok Bhardwaj, whose runs a paan shop near Ashok Apartment, was preparing paan for his customers when heard a loud thud on Saturday night. "Everyone froze for a few seconds and a customer quickly took the child to St George Hospital on his motorcycle," said Bhardwaj, who has been running the shop for 27 years.

"But she succumbed to the injuries when they were passing the police headquarters." Besides Bhardwaj, the police have recorded statements of neighbours, relatives, domestic workers, and eyewitnesses. They have reached out to Chugani's wife, but she said she is legally separating from him and that her mother is on her deathbed.

Sep 7
Day 3-year-old Shanaya was flung out of the 7th floor window

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates