Mumbai: Watchman found guilty in Pallavi Purkayastha murder case

A Mumbai Sessions Court pronounced the verdict in the high-profile murder case of city-based lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha after the watchman of her building attempted to rape her.

Zee Media Bureau

Mumbai: A Mumbai Sessions Court pronounced the verdict in the high-profile murder case of city-based lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha on Monday and found the security guard of the building guilty. The accused, Sajjad Mughal, was found guilty on all counts by the court including trespassing, attempt to rape and murder. The court has reserved the order and the quantum of punishment is likely to be announced on July 3. Shortly after the verdict, parents of Pallavi demanded death penalty for the culprit and expressed satisfaction with the investigation of the police. “The court has found the accused guilty on all charges. We are satisfied with the verdict. However, he should not get anything less than death penalty so that it acts as deterrent for people who even think of committing such crime,” said Atanu Purkayastha, Pallavi`s father. The incident took place on August 9, 2012 when the accused Sajjad Mughal, who was employed as a security guard at `Himalayan Heights` in suburban Wadala, killed Pallavi for resisting his advances. Then 22-year-old Mudgal, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, had sneaked into victim`s flat after using a duplicate set of keys and tried to force himself on her. When she resisted, he assaulted her with his knife. Pallavi was adviser to movie-maker Farhan Akhtar`s company Excel Entertainment Pvt Ltd and the daughter of IAS officer who is working as Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry.