Manoj Ramesh Sane (56) is reportedly HIV-positive and had never had physical relationship with the 32-year-old woman he killed and chopped into pieces. He apparently told the police that the victim, Saraswati Vaidya, was “like his daughter".
A report in Indian Express quoted a senior police officer as saying: “During preliminary inquiry, Sane told police that in 2008 he discovered that he was HIV positive. Since then, he has been on medication. He said that he suspects he contracted the disease due to use of infected blood during his treatment a long time ago, after he had met with an accident."
Sane, in his confession to police, also said that Vaidya was very possessive in nature and suspected that he was being unfaithful to her whenever he returned home late, the officer was quoted.
The officer further quoted Sane as saying that 32-year-old woman was planning to appear for Class 10 SSC exams and Sane was teaching her math. The IE report stated that the police found a board on one of the walls of the seventh-floor flat, with math equations scribbled on it.
It was earlier reported that Sane worked at a ration shop where he had met Vaidya. It has now come to light that he has an Industrial Training Institute certificate too.
The report quoted the officer as saying that despite the certificate, Sane was working at a PDS shop for 10 years as he did not get a decent job.
News18 had reported on Thursday that Sane told police that Vaidya “died by suicide". Elaborating more on the claim, the senior officer told IE that the accused saw the victim lying on the floor of their flat in Geeta Nagar area of Mira Road, near Mumbai, on the morning of June 3.
“He checked her pulse and found her dead. Fearing action against him, Sane he decided to get rid of the body," senior officer quoted Sane’s confession.
Sane had cut Vaidya’s body into small parts with an electric tree cutter and “boiled parts of it in a pressure cooker and roasted them on gas" to dispose them of easily. On Thursday, police had found three buckets full of blood in the kitchen. The buckets allegedly contained small pieces of the body.
The IE report quoted deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Jayant Bajbale as saying that the body parts collected from the kitchen have been sent to Sir JJ Hospital for forensic analysis
The report further stated that police are taking the help of medical experts and trying to ascertain which parts of the body are missing. DCP Bajbale of zone-1, Mira-Bhayander Vasai Virar police, said that Sane was produced in a Thane court and has been remanded in police custody until June 16.
According to a Times of India report, the building’s CCTV cameras have captured images of Sane arriving and leaving. The police are still to obtain footage of the period after the murder took place and Sane stepped out to dispose of the body parts, the report stated, adding that the committee members told the publication that camera images are stored for 15 days.
• In 2014, Manoj Sane met Sarawasti Vaidya at a store in Mumbai’s Borivali. He used to work at the shop.
• In 2015, Sane and Vaidya move to G-wing of Geeta Akashdeep society in Geeta Nagar area of Mira Road.
• In 2017, the live-in couple moved to J-wing’s 7th floor flat, 704, owned by Sonam builders.
• On June 4, 2023, he allegedly killed Vaidya. However, he is claiming that the victim died by suicide on June 3 in his absence.
• June 5, 2023: Sane begins to gradually cut and dispose of body parts in various places in the nearby area.
• June 7, 2023: On receiving a complaint by building residents, police break open the door of Sane’s apartment and nab him in the lift with the help of residents as he tried to flee.
• June 8, 2023: Sane was remanded in police custody till June 16.
Source: News18