Auto driver in Mumbai kills wife's 17-year-old 'muh bola bhai', chops his body into four pieces

A 33-year-old auto driver has been apprehended by RCF police in Chembur, Mumbai, following allegations of murdering a 17-year-old youth whom his wife regarded as a ‘muh bola bhai’. The victim’s body was gruesomely dismembered into four parts, police said. Reportedly, the accused, identified as Shafeeque, also known as Shafi Shaikh, purportedly committed this heinous act due to the victim’s alleged inappropriate comments towards his wife and her younger sister, along with unwelcome physical advances directed at the latter. The police managed to intercept Shafi Shaikh just in time as he was planning to dispose of the victim’s remains, which were found within his kitchen. According to DCP Hemraj Singh Rajput, the victim, recognized as ‘moh bola bhai’ (unofficially adopted brother) of Shafi Shaikh’s wife, met his tragic end on August 28. The police revealed that Shafi Shaikh initially used a sickle to attack Ishwar Marwadi and subsequently continued to bludgeon his head with a hammer. Both the sickle and the hammer used in the crime have been secured as evidence. Shaikh’s court appearance for remand is scheduled for Thursday. Shafeeque alias Shafi Shaikh, a taxi driver by profession, was taken into custody by the RCF police on charges of murdering Ishwar Marwadi, a minor whom his wife considered family. The victim’s lifeless remains were discovered during the early hours of Wednesday. Previously residing in Uran, Shaikh now resides with his wife in the RCF area in Mumbai. Notably, he had been arrested in 2013 in Uran for the alleged murder of Jay Narayan Koli, in addition to being implicated in a robbery case. Following his release, he relocated to Govandi. Shaikh asserts that he was acquitted in the 2013 murder case. The victim, Marwadi, had a history with the law, having been detained by the Chembur police in 2020 for involvement in a burglary case. Subsequently, he was placed in Dongri Children’s Home. It was during this period that Marwadi’s involvement with substance abuse reportedly began. According to a police insider, Marwadi was taken in by Lalit Putran roughly a decade ago after the young boy’s parents passed away. Putran, known for providing horse rides near a Chembur garden, had introduced Marwadi into his family. Putran, who had since married a woman with four daughters and a son, lived with his family in an Mhada building in the RCF area. Marwadi contributed to Putran’s horse-related activities, residing nearby and often sharing meals with the family. Senior Inspector Murlidhar Karpe explained that the police were alerted by Putran around 4.30am on Wednesday. Putran conveyed that Shaikh, his son-in-law, had hidden Marwadi, whom he referred to as his own son. At the time, Shaikh was reportedly dropping his wife and 14-month-old daughter at his mother’s residence in Govandi. Putran claimed that Shaikh had taken Marwadi along on Monday, after which the teenager’s whereabouts remained unknown. When confronted by Putran on Tuesday night, Shaikh allegedly deferred the conversation to the following morning. Upon further interrogation, Shaikh confessed to Marwadi’s murder. A police team subsequently arrived at his two-room apartment within the SRA building. The victim’s dismembered body parts were found in various bags and have been sent to JJ Hospital for examination. Shaikh admitted to marrying Putran’s daughter in 2019 after a romantic involvement. Due to his night shift as a taxi driver, Shaikh’s wife often spent nights at her mother’s residence. The couple frequently dined at Putran’s home. Shaikh stated to the police that Marwadi had been engaging in inappropriate behavior toward his sister-in-law, including teasing and making inappropriate remarks about his wife and her. Having allegedly warned Marwadi a year earlier after a physical altercation, Shaikh claimed that the teenager’s unwelcome advances persisted. Consequently, Shaikh brought Marwadi to his apartment on Monday and confronted him, leading to a fatal altercation. Shaikh has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence. He is slated to appear in court on Thursday to face these charges.