Aditya Rankha was stabbed and bludgeoned
Teen’s dad saw shoes in car, alerted cops
Cousin Planned Boy’s Kidnap, Took Decision To Murder
S Ahmed Ali | TNN
Teenager
Aditya Rankha’s (13), kidnap was alle gedly planned in detail by his
first cousin Himanshu Rankha (28), police said. While it was his
cousin’s friend Vijesh Sanghvi (26) who murdered him, it was done at the
behest of Himanshu, investigators said.
Police said there were
around 27 calls within 12 hours between Vijesh and Himanshu on Monday to
discuss each development. The duo apparently suffered losses while
betting on cricket and hence planned a kidnap. They zeroed in on Aditya
as their target on Sunday after Himanshu learnt Aditya’s father Jitendra
got Rs 30 lakh in cash from a recent diamond deal. “Himanshu assured
Vijesh that he would co-ordinate between him and Jitendra on the ransom.
The initial plan was Himanshu would remain in Mumbai and convince
Jitendra to pay the ransom. Himanshu planned to take the role of
negotiating with the kidnapper and offer to carry the ransom himself
once the deal was struck,” said a cop.
However, it went awry
when Jitendra approached the police. “We are yet to ask Jitendra whether
Himanshu tried to discourage him from registering the complaint,’’ said
Rajendra Chavan, senior inspector of VP Road police station.
Vijesh
told police that according to the plan, he called Aditya’s landline
number on Monday, and when his mother answered it, he asked her to send
Aditya down to collect some keys.
Aditya knew Vijesh, so when he
came downstairs and was asked to get into the car, he didn’t suspect
anything. Vijesh drove towards Sion, called Jitendra from a PCO and
demanded a ransom of Rs 30 lakh to release his son. However when
Jitendra disconnected the call thinking it was prank, Vijesh informed
Himanshu who convinced him he would intervene to put the plan back on
course.
On realizing that the police and crime branch were
actively probing the matter, Himanshu, who accompanied Jitendra all the
while, told Vijesh to ensure Aditya doesn’t return home. Vijesh told
police he took Aditya to a remote place, hit and stabbed him, and dumped
the unconscious teen in the car’s boot and drove to Pali. “At a
desolate spot he took Aditya out of the boot, covered him with dry
grass, lit a fire and returned to Mumbai,” said a cop. What has baffled
investigators is Vijesh’s admission that he might have burnt Aditya
while he was still alive.
Around 8pm, Vijesh joined Himanshu at
VP Road police station and acted nonchalant till Jitendra found a pair
of Aditya’s footwear in the car Himanshu was driving. “Jitendra grew
suspicious and secretly told Chavan, who asked his officers to search
the car. We found bloodstains in the boot and immediately detained the
duo. They confessed after four hours of interrogation,’’ said Nisar
Tamboli DCP (zone II).
Additional commissioner of police Krishna
Prakash said police suspected an insider’s involvement from the start,
due to various reasons. “The call to send Aditya down came on the
landline, secondly his father was told ‘Chikki’ was with him. Chikki was
Aditya’s nickname, not known to many. Moreover, few people knew the
victim’s father had got Rs 30 lakh. Hence when Jitendra said he had seen
Aditya’s sandals in the car, we immediately detained Himanshu and
Vijesh,’’ said Prakash.
Police said they will involve Himanshu’s
friend Shailesh Mehta, whom he lied to borrow the car, and three
bookies, LK, Amit and Abhijeet, as witnesses to prove the kidnapping
conspiracy. Himanshu and Vijesh who were charged with kidnapping,
extortion, wrongful confinement and murder were remanded to police
custody till May 24.
(With inputs from Juhika Desai)
ACCUSED WERE MANAGEMENT GRADUATES?
Himanshu Rankha (28) His
father Nimeshchand Rankha, is the elder brother of Jitendra Rankha,
Aditya’s father. Himanshu and his family lived in a joint family set-up
with Aditya’s family till a few years ago. Himanshu got married two
years ago and later moved to a recently redeveloped building right
opposite his cousin’s house. The two families remained on good terms and
would often visit each other. Himanshu claims to be an MBA from a
college in Parel. He was a trader in a
metal market near Opera
House, where he
became friendly with
Vijesh Sanghvi
Vijesh Sanghvi (26) A
resident of Sutar Chawl, he lived half a kilometre from victim Aditya’s
residence at Khetwadi. Vijesh claims to have studied MBA from a
Bangalore college, police are to verify it. He married last year and has
a child. It was he who killed Aditya on Himanshu’s instructions YOUNG VICTIM
Aditya Rankha (13) The
second child of his parents, was a Class VI student of Saint Xavier’s
Boys’ Academy, Churchgate. His elder brother is in SYBCom in a city
college, his younger sister is in school. Close family friends said he
was cheerful and very friendly and hence he did not raise any alarm
while being taken out of the city by Vijesh Sanghvi
Vijesh
told police that Aditya was very relaxed and when he said he was
hungry, they stopped to buy a burger and cold coffee. Vijesh also told
police that when he was being stabbed, Aditya reportedly asked why he
was being hit and requested him for forgiveness if he had done something
wrong
A GRISLY CRIME May 8 | Himanshu Rankha and Vijesh Sanghvi plan a kidnap
May 9 | They shortlist three targets, including victim Aditya Rankha
May 10 | Himanshu informs Vijesh his cousin Aditya’s father Jitendra recently got Rs 30 lakh from a deal
May 11 | Himanshu borrows his friend’s car under some pretext
May 13 | Vijesh
calls up Rankha’s landline, tells Aditya’s mother, who answers it, to
send Aditya downstairs to collect keys sent by his father. When Aditya
reaches, Vijesh asks him to sit in the car and drives off
Around 12.30pm | Vijesh
reaches Sion and calls Jitendra from a PCO, saying his son has been
kidnapped and demands Rs 30 lakh. Jitendra cuts the call thinking it’s a
prank
1pm | Vijesh drives with Aditya towards Mumbai Pune Expresssway on Himanshu’s directions
1.30pm | Jitendra realizes his son has really been kidnapped, rushes back from BKC and lodges a complaint with VP Road police
4pm | Police reach Jitendra’s home, Himanshu arrives to show support but informs Vijesh of developments
5pm | Himanshu tells Vijesh things have worsened and asks him to ensure Aditya doesn’t return home
5-6pm | Near
Khopoli, Vijesh stabs Aditya, hits him on the head, dumps the
unconscious teen in the boot. At a spot near Pali, he sets Aditya on
fire with grass. He returns to Mumbai
9.30pm | ACP Krishna
Prakash, supervising bandobast at Wankhede, learns of the case, says he
wants to meet Jitendra. Senior inspector Rajendra Chavan and
investigating officer S Gite bring Jitendra to Wankhede, driven by
Himanshu in the same car used to kidnap Aditya
10pm | Jitendra tells Chavan he saw his son’s footwear in the car. Vijesh & Himanshu are taken into custody
4am | Vijesh says Aditya is in Raigad May 14 | At
6am police take Vijesh to look for Aditya. After taking cops to several
spots, around 3pm he confesses, takes them to the jungle where he
killed Aditya
SENSELESS
MURDER: The knife (left foreground) allegedly used to stab Aditya
Rankha, his watch (centre) and the telltale footwear found in the Honda
City. (Left) The two accused. (Pictured at right) A bloodstain on the
car, and Pavanpuri building, Girgaum, where the Rankhas live on the
first floor
