HDFC Bank Vice President, Siddharth Sanghvi’s murder could have been a robbery gone wrong, believe Mumbai police. Primary accused in the case, Sarfaraz Shaikh allegedly stabbed Sanghvi multiple times and even slit his throat over Rs 30,000.
What Was The Motive?
According to DCP Abhinash Kumar, on 5 September, Sarfaraz Shaikh confronted Siddharth Sanghvi at the Kamala Mills parking lot. 20-year-old Shaikh, who worked as a fabricator in Kamala Mills, was in dire need of money to repay his loans for a two wheeler that he had bought.
Shaikh demanded that Sanghvi hand him Rs 30,000-Rs 35,000. However, when Sanghvi refused to do so, Shaikh stabbed him.
Sarfaraz Shaikh then dumped Sanghvi’s body in the leg space at the rear of the banker's Maruti Ignis and drove the car to Kalyan, where the body was found. Siddharth Sanghvi’s body was found dumped in the Haji Malang jungle area.
Mumbai police also confirmed that Siddharth Sanghvi’s father had received a ransom call from an unknown person on 8 September, over 3 days after he went missing.
“While demanding the ransom, the accused (Sarfaraz) had assured the father of the deceased that his son is ‘okay as of now’.”Abhinash Kumar, DCP
Police traced the call and found Sarfaraz. After interrogating him, they recovered Sanghvi’s body on 10 September.
Who Was Siddharth Sanghvi?
Siddharth Sanghvi was a vice president at HDFC Bank. Working as a senior analyst in the bank’s asset and liability management division, his office was in Kamala Mills in Lower Parel.
Sanghvi used to live with his wife, minor son and parents in tony Malabar Hills in South Mumbai.
“This is so very shocking. We are still not able to believe this has happened. He was a good man.”A neighbour told The Quint on 8 September
Sanghvi left for work on 5 September and he was last spotted leaving office at 7:30 pm.
The police had reportedly found that Sanghvi’s phone was switched off before he left the Kamala Mills premises, which was found to be his last location according to call data records. After not being able to reach him till 10 pm, Sanghvi’s wife filed a police complaint.
The abandoned car was found near Sector 11 in Airoli when the local police called it in.
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