In 1967, Mumbai (then Bombay) was rocked by its first quadruple murder case, a heinous crime that would lead to a landmark investigation by DCP Vaidyanath Someshwar Sami, known as the 'Sherlock Holmes' of Bombay Police. This case not only shocked the city but also demonstrated the prowess of the Mumbai Police in solving complex crimes.
The Case:
On the morning of October 23, 1967, a gruesome discovery was made at the residence of Muhamed Siddique Choonawala in the 'Temple View' building at Hughes Road, Gamdevi. Four bodies were found in the flat, brutally stabbed and partially burned. The victims were identified as Choonawala, the Managing Director of M/s Car Mart, his wife Roshan, their four-year-old grandson Shajitkhan, and their maid, Annie Fernandes.
Investigation:
The Crime Branch, led by DCP Vaidyanath Sami, took charge of the investigation. The crime scene revealed several crucial pieces of evidence:
· A blood-stained shirt with a partial laundry mark "AI Z"
· Another cloth with the laundry mark "AI SBH"
· Fingerprints on various surfaces
· A blood-stained knife
The Laundry Marks:
The breakthrough in the case came from the laundry marks found on the shirt and cloth at the crime scene. All the clothes belonging to the family had the laundry mark “AI SBH” while the assailants left a shirt which had a laundry mark “AI Z”. These marks differed from those on the victims' clothes, indicating they belonged to the assailants. Inspector Vinayak Vakatkar traced 12 laundries in Mumbai using similar marks, eventually leading them to American Express laundry in Khetwadi.
Solving the Crime:
The laundry proprietor identified the marks as belonging to two customers living in the same locality. Further investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Hussain, was Choonawala's former driver who had been fired. Hussain and his cousin Asad were identified as the perpetrators.
The motive was established as a dispute over unpaid dues, which escalated into a violent confrontation leading to the murders. The cousins attempted to cover their tracks by cutting the laundry marks, setting fire to the evidence, and opening the gas connection to cause an explosion.
Thanks to the meticulous investigation led by DCP Sami and his team, the culprits were apprehended within two weeks of the crime. On November 4, 1968, Hussain and Asad were sentenced to death by a principal sessions judge. This case, one of the last in DCP Sami's illustrious career, showcased the efficiency and skill of the Mumbai Police in solving complex crimes.
Source:
This information is provided by Dhaval Kulkarni, a historian who has researched and documented this landmark case in Mumbai's criminal history.
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