/> The mystery surrounding the ghastly murder of Sandhya Singh, the eldest sister of the musical Pandit family siblings Sulakshana, Vijeta, Jatin and Lalit, has just deepened. A prominent member of the family under strict condition of anonymity, has revealed the possible involvement of an outsider in the murder.

Says the member of the Pandit family, `We've so far been keeping quiet. But now on behalf of the family I want to reveal facts that we've so far withheld. On November 25 there was a theft at Sandhya's residence.

My brother-in-law, Sandhya's husband Jai Prakash, called up the nearby police station. From that day onwards Sandhya's phone shows her to be in regular touch with one particular individual (name and designation withheld). Sandhya disappeared on December 13.

Between December 10 and December 12th night there are records of major telephonic communications between Sandhya and this individual. `

Here's where the plot really thickens.

Says the family member, `On December 10 evening between 8 pm and 10 pm Sandhya and this individual spoke repeatedly to one another. Sandhya's phone records also show she was calling Uma Gaur, the woman who dropped Sandhya near the back on the morning when Sandhya disappeared. We asked Uma what Sandhya was calling her about. Uma says Sandhya wanted to be dropped at the bank the next morning. `

Says the member of the Pandit family, `We've tried repeatedly to get the Crime Branch to quiz the individual who was constantly in touch with Sandhya. But they refuse to listen to us. Even on the night before she disappeared Sandhya was on the phone with him.

What were they discussing? Telephone records show these were lengthy conversations. On December 13 Sandhya walked all the way to Uma's house before the two drove to the bank.

Sandhya's home is quite a distance from Uma's. Sandhya walked all the way and insisted that Uma drop her at the bank at 11. 30 am. After that she disappeared. `

Curiously the individual whom the Pandit family suspects, had applied for a holiday on 12 December from his workplace. He then cancelled the proposed leave on 12 December and took it on 14 December, a day after Sandhya disappeared.


The member of the Pandit family says the individual is being shielded by his colleagues and his seniors.

Says the member of the Pandit family, `They're trying to deflect attention from the individual to Sandhya's son, my nephew Raghuvir, and by casting aspersions on my sister's character they're trying to stop us from getting to the truth.

The insinuation is clear. If we pursue our suspicion regarding the individual who was constantly in touch with Sandhya in her last days, they'd impute all kinds of allegations on my dead sister, her husband Jai Prakash, their son Raghuvir and our entire family.

They're trying to malign her and make a case against her son while the person whom we suspect to have the biggest hand in the matter has not been questioned even once. `

Says the Pandit family-members, `We are a family of musicians and artistes. We've never gone to a police station before. Our family has suffered an unimaginable tragedy. Instead of nabbing the culprit every effort is being made to cover up the actual culprit's trail.

You will be shocked to know that when our sister's disembodied body was discovered we were not informed by the police. A media reporter informed us. We want to know if we could be subjected to this kind of cover up and harassment we wonder what less connected people must be going through?

They are trying to trap Sandhya's son in this when the person on whom the needle of suspicion falls is not even being questioned. In any murder, the person with whom the last communication happens is always questioned. In this case he is being shielded by the law. `

Adds Lalit's sister Vijayta Pandit, `Our family won't rest easy until we nab the culprits who committed this heinous crime. We have all stopped living our normal lives until the case is solved. Until then my sister's soul won't rest in peace.