MUMBAI, July 31: A wealthy Parsi lady was murdered by her son and son-in-law after her refusal to share her wealth with them. The two kidnapped Piloo Rustamji Antia, while she was on her way to a bank and took her to a village in Palghar where they smashed her head with a stone and left her to die in a gutter.

They were helped by an estate agent, Homi Patrawala, who allegedly has a criminal record and one Jain Hasan Masani. All accused - the victim's son Marazban Antia, son-in-law Roomie Umrigar, Homi Patrawala and Jain Hasan Masani - have been arrested by the Palghar police.

Antia, a resident of Sethna Bhabha building at Charni road, owned property worth Rs 3 crore.

``Antia wanted to sell a part of her property - around 3 acres of land at Matheran - but her son Marzban Antia wanted a share in the proceeds of the sale. When Piloo refused, Marzban and his associates decided to kill her,'' Superintendent of Police, Thane (Rural Division) A J Kamte told Express Newsline.

Her body was recovered on July 2 from Safala village in Palghar after an MSRTC driver saw the mangled body and informed the local police.

The police took help of a local who had seen a stranger in his village. This local helped police prepare and identikit of that stranger which turned out to be Antia's son-in-law Roomie.

Police arrested Roomie who confessed to the crime and revealed names of his accomplices. Kamate said Marzban, Antia's son is the main accused since he had planned the murder.

Police sources said Antia family members had lodged a missing complaint at a police station in the city. The murder has shocked Antia's relatives. The Antia residence at Charni Road has been closed. A neighbour lamented, ``They (Marzban and Roomie) would have got the property any way after Antia's death. But they lost their patience.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.