Mumbai Crime: Cops seize fridge that may have held murdered police woman's body

Cops seize a fridge from flat 401 of Mukund Plaza in Bhayander East, where the main accused stayed on rent. Pics/Hanif Patel

Officers from the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch visited flat 401 at Mukund Plaza in Bhayander East yesterday, along with a forensic team, in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre, who had gone missing nearly 18 months ago.

The police seized several items, including a fridge, from the flat where main accused Abhay Kurundkar, an inspector, used to stay on rent; they also took fingerprints. Officers, however, refused to comment on the searches conducted. Kurundkar, who was attached to Navghar police, stayed in the flat and did not shift out even after being transferred to Thane LCB. Bidre allegedly used to live with him. Investigators suspect that this could be where Bidre was killed and her body chopped into pieces by the accused. Sources said the accused likely kept the chopped pieces in the fridge before dumping them in Bhayander creek.

So far, four people have been arrested in the case - Kurundkar, his driver Kundan Bhandari, 51, Mahesh Phalankikar and Rajesh Patil, 44. It was Bhandari who confessed to the crime during interrogation and told the police about the flat. Bidre, 37, went missing on April 11, 2016. After the police failed to find her, her family members approached the Bombay High Court over the suspicion that she was kidnapped and murdered.

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