Deaf Murder: Police to Submit Statements of 48 Witnesses
Arshad Shaikh, a Deaf man, was murdered in a revenge plot involving his wife and others, with alleged provocation from Jagalpreet Singh in Belgium.
The murder of Deaf man Arshad Shaikh has shocked many. He was killed by Jay Chawda, Shivjit Shinde, and his wife, Rukhsana, with involvement from another Deaf man, Jagalpreet Singh, who currently lives in Belgium. Reports say that during the assault, Chawda made a video call to Jagalpreet and showed him the attack on Shaikh, who is believed to have provoked them.
According to the police, the murder was motivated by revenge for a past incident involving an assault and insult. Jagalpreet was arrested by the Brussels police after the Mumbai police informed them about his role in the murder.
The Pydhonie police are preparing to file a chargesheet against Jay, Shivjit, and Rukhsana soon. This chargesheet will include statements from 48 witnesses, with about 31 being Deaf individuals. Five of these witness statements were recorded before a magistrate, which makes them eligible as evidence during the trial. A juice seller also witnessed Shaikh and Chawda together near the Masjid railway station on the day of the murder.
The police faced significant challenges during their investigation, especially due to the communication barrier. They required four sign language interpreters to interrogate the accused. During questioning, Chawda claimed that Shaikh had assaulted him earlier while filming the incident. He admitted that the murder was planned and that he had prepared for it days in advance.
Chawda had a long-standing animosity towards Shaikh, claiming that he had been in a relationship with Shaikh's wife and that Shaikh had abused her. Evidence suggests that Jagalpreet was involved in the crime, as police discovered a video where he displayed his passport and money during Shaikh's murder.
After the murder, Jagalpreet posted a video in a WhatsApp group, saying he did not instruct Chawda and Shivjit to kill Shaikh, only to "teach him a lesson." This led to further investigations, where the police relied on translators to interpret his video.
The police have faced many challenges in this case, particularly with communication. They reviewed numerous sign language videos to piece together the details of the crime. Some officers even learned basic sign language by observing interpreters and the accused.
The investigation is being supervised by DCP Dr. Mohit Garg, along with senior inspector Balkrushna Deshmukh and inspector Nitin Pagar. A copy of the chargesheet will be sent to the Belgian police regarding Jagalpreet’s arrest.
This case highlights the importance of addressing communication barriers in serious investigations, especially involving the Deaf community. The police are committed to ensuring justice for Arshad Shaikh and his family.
