Indian Express

DNA analysis confirms Navi Mumbai partial skeleton is of Sandhya Singh

Express news service Posted online: Fri Feb 15 2013, 03:27 hrs
DNA analysis reports received by police Thursday confirmed a partial skeleton found along Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai about two weeks ago is of Sandhya Singh, sister of music composers Jatin and Lalit and yesteryear actresses Sulakshana and Vijeta Pandit. Sandhya had been missing since December last year.

“We received reports of DNA analysis from the forensic sciences laboratory Thursday. The reports confirm the partial skeleton is of Sandhya Singh,” said Purushottam Karad, DCP (zone I), Navi Mumbai.

Police have already registered a complaint of murder.

Meanwhile, the case was officially transferred to Mumbai police crime branch Thursday. Additional commissioner of police (crime) Niket Kaushik confirmed receiving the transfer order and said Chembur unit of the crime branch would investigate the case.

The Pandits had sought the transfer after it emerged earlier this month that an assistant inspector at NRI Seawoods police station was in regular touch with Sandhya and had spoken to her before she went missing.

“We have hopes of better result from Mumbai crime branch. Navi Mumbai police gave us nothing but disappointment. Now, we also do not have to worry about police shielding one of their own,” said Lalit.

“We were sure the skeleton was of Sandhya, but the development has deepened our sadness. I think it is because we now know for sure Sandhya was victim of a brutal murder and dismemberment,” he said.

The family had identified several adornments found with the skeleton and also submitted a dental cast of Sandhya to police. The cast reportedly matched the teeth in the skull.