Tikku murder case: Accused escapes from lock-up

New Delhi: Hours after getting arrested by the Mumbai police in connection with the murder case of Arunkumar Tikku, one of the accused, Vijay Palande, on Tuesday night escaped from the lock-up sending the police in a tizzy.

Palande, who had earlier maintained his identity as Karan Sood, is a historysheeter and has had involvement in murder cases and connections with the underworld in the past.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday, Himanshu Roy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), said that the murder took place possibly because of possession of the flat where the crime was committed.

According to the police, the flat where the murder was committed is in the name of Arun's son Anuj Tikku, who is an actor.

Dismissing earlier reports that the actor was arrested, Roy clarified that he was just detained for questioning.

Arunkumar Tikku, 62, who was based in Ghaziabad, had come to Mumbai a few days back on personal business involving his son Anuj, who also runs a firm that deals with events, TV commercials and content for radio.

According to police, Anuj is mentally disturbed and was receiving treatment at a hospital in Jaipur for the past four-five years and his father disapproved of him staying alone in Mumbai.

Anuj had rented his apartment in Lokhandwala complex in Mumbai to two tenants, Manoj and Dhananjay, who had taken wrong identity, said police.

The actor was unaware that his tenants had taken false identity, however, when he came to know this, he threw the two out of his house.

Later, Anuj was suggested by one of his friends, Karan Sood, whose real name is Vijay Palande, to lease the flat to a Spanish woman. According to the police, Palande is a history sheeter and had involvements in murder cases earlier as well.

The police further said that the Spanish lady was an associate of Sood.

Arunkumar Tikku was unhappy over the developments when he discovered it after going to Mumbai. He wanted the flat to be vacated.

When the murder was committed, Anuj was taken unaware to Goa. However, his role in the murder case is still being probed.

Tikku was found murdered in the bathroom of his first floor apartment in Lokhandwala Complex late on Saturday night. The senior citizen had six to eight stab wounds on his abdomen and a computer wire tied around his neck.