Twin murder accused Palande seeks permission to appear in documentary series

MUMBAI: Vijay Palande, an accused in multiple murder cases, has moved an application before the sessions court on Wednesday seeking permission to allow him to appear for an audio-video interview with a Mumbai-based media organisation, as part of their documentary project.

Palande was arrested in April 2012 for murdering Delhi businessman Arun Tikku and film producer Karankumar Kakkad. He had earlier jumped parole after being convicted of another double murder and sentenced to life in prison.

The documentary, titled ‘State vs Vijay Palande’ being made by Purple Ant Media on behalf of Docubay Media Pvt Ltd, approached Palande on August 17 seeking permission to interview him for a one-hour documentary.

Palande submitted that he “wants to give the interview to Purple Ant Media and Docubay to appear and give his full interview based on the facts of the case and applications filed by the applicant in the court.”

He sought permission to allow him to give the interview “either in court premises or jail or any other place as the court may designate” for 4 hours each on two days. He further asked permission to give 4 hours of recorded audio for research purposes within the court premises.

Palande, who is currently lodged in Arthur Road jail, was arrested in April 2012 for murdering Tikku and Kakkad. As per the police, the murder allegedly happened over monetary gain.

Palande said that his image got tarnished over the alleged one-sided reporting of media houses, adding that the authorities failed to exercise any control over the ‘menace of illegal reporting’. Referring to the book published by journalist Puja Changoiwala called the ‘Front Page Murders’ on the multiple murders allegedly committed by Palande.

The plea, moved before the principal sessions judge Anil Subramaniam, further pointed out the multiple interviews given by the special public prosecutor without the court’s consent involving Palande’s case, which is available on YouTube.

Citing mala-fide intentions, Palande in June this year had moved court against the fresh appointment of Nikam as special public prosecutor, who was also a BJP candidate from Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

“The applicant states that he has no objection if the said interview is used against him, and the interview will not cause any prejudice to the criminal trial as the facts which will be mentioned are already on record and have been either published by media houses or by the book”, observed the plea. Palande said that the interview process would not hinder the trial and would not violate the jail or criminal manual.