Six skeletons found in missing starlet's villa

Even though Parvez Tak, the stepfather of Bollywood starlet Laila Khan had confessed to killing her and her five family members in a fit of rage, the murders might have been pre-meditated, a top Mumbai police officer said Wednesday.

Making a breakthrough in the case, the police's Crime Branch recovered six skeletons from Khan's bungalow in Igatpuri near Nashik, around 130 km from here.

"During interrogation, Tak confessed to having murdered Khan along with her entire family. On Tuesday, he agreed to point out the spot where he disposed off the bodies," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy told reporters here.

Five units of the Crime Branch, along with forensic experts and toxicology doctors from J.J. Hospital in Mumbai, were a part of the search operations that started Tuesday.

"We have recovered six human skeletons. These were found in an eight-feet deep pit, which was perhaps dug for the purpose of a storage water tank," Roy said.

"Three bodies were at bottom covered with stoles (scarf-like garment), blood-stained mattresses and pillows. Again, three other bodies were laid on it and covered with stoles. The pit was then covered with sand and stones to keep animals from digging up," Roy added.

Roy said the house was then set on afire with diesel from power generators. "This must have been done to destroy fingerprints, blood stains and other evidences of murder," he said.

Preliminary forensic reports reveal that five skeletons were those of women and one was of a man.

Pieces of jewellery, synthetic clothing and underclothing were found on the skeletons.

A Mumbai metropolitan court had Monday remanded Tak, a suspected member of militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, to police custody till July 19.

Laila Khan, whose real name is Reshma Patel, was last seen in a 2008 movie "Wafaa" with veteran actor Rajesh Khanna.