Maharashtra cops in Prague to bring back man hired to kill US model in 2003
India Today
The accused was allegedly hired by the model's fiancee in 2003 to kill her, the police said.
A four-member police team from Maharashtra is in Prague to arrest and bring back a man who was allegedly hired to murder a US-based model in 2003 in the state.
The case has been reopened at the behest of the US government after 19 long years and is the first case where an extradition process is being handled by a local police station instead of by central agencies.
Vipul Patel, the main accused in the murder of Leona Swiderski - then 33, was hired by her fiancée Pragnesh Desai to kill her for over $66,000. Patel had hired two more to help him execute the gruesome plan. The two others are absconding. Interestingly, Vipul and Pragnesh are childhood friends.
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Non-bailable warrants were issued in 2003 against Desai, a US citizen, and Patel for failing to appear before authorities in the case. However, they were later acquitted.
Desai, who allegedly planned the murder to claim the $1 million insurance policy Swiderski had bought, has been charged in the US with fraudulently obtaining the insurance payout after her death. The trial is yet to begin.
Leona Swiderski and Pragnesh Desai dated for around three years before deciding to get married. However, Leona soon learnt about Desai's estranged wife and two children.
