More arrests
for Leona Swiderski's murder
Bombay, May 28, 2004:
According to the police, his accomplices included Fruitwala,
who was allegedly hired as a contract killer.
A fresh arrest is prising open a transitional tale of
contract killers, love and million-dollar insurance fraud, find N Ganesh
and Aparna Narayanan
IT was a steamy day in May, but as always that did not stop the boisterous
young men of Rani Talav from indulging in the national pastime: Cricket.
It was noon on May 1 when a team of Surat police in
plain clothes sidestepped the cricket game and walked into a nearby
house. It turned out they were looking for one of the players: Farooq
Fuitwala. An informant told them that Fruitwalaa fruit merchant,
as his name suggestswas at his in-laws home. Thats
where the law finally caught up with 28-year-old Fruitwala. He had eluded
the police for a year, but now, his incarceration could reopen the sensational
Swiderski murder case
- Vipul Patel, a Vadodara resident belonging to a family
of middle-class, small-time merchants, has been described as a childhood
friend of Desais. The 29-year-old was allegedly paid by Desai
to arrange Swiderskis murder by hiring two contract killers.
- A 28-year-old fruit seller, Farooq Fruitwala was
allegedly hired as a contract killer in the Swiderski case. With no
previous criminal history, it was his acquaintance with Altaf Patel
that reportedly led to his involvement in the murder. He is now in
the custody of Thane police.
- The other alleged contract killer, Altaf Patel reportedly
took the contract to kill Swiderski from her fiancé Pragnesh
Desai. He has eluded arrest since the murder and is still absconding.