Actor Vijayta Pandit once shared how her sister, the late Sulakshana Pandit, didn’t know about the murder of their sibling Sandhya Pandit even after a decade. Speaking with Lehren Retro, last year, Vijayta had revealed that if Sulakshana found out, she would “die that very moment.” Sandhya, also the sister of music composer duo Jatin-Lalit, went missing in 2012, and her partial skeleton was found nearly a month later.

Sulakshana Pandit and Vijayta Pandit’s sister was murdered

Vijayta Pandit had spoken about how they found Sandhya’s “bones scattered in different places.” She had said, “She (Sandhya) was murdered. We never thought that all of a sudden something like this could happen. She was quite happy in her marriage… I don’t know what happened. We never even found her, we found her skeleton. First her family said she has gone missing, so we used to go, me and my brothers Lalit and Jatin, to look for her everywhere. After a long time, they found her bones scattered in different places. It was a very big thing.”

When Vijayta revealed why Sulakshana didn’t know about Sandhya’s death

She had added, “And you won’t believe it, Sulakshana ji, even till today, has no idea that our sister is no more. Can you believe this? This is the first time I am saying this. I never told her because if she finds out, she will die that very moment. I keep telling her that our sister is fine, she lives in Indore, and that she calls me too. Sulakshana thinks she is alive, she asks me to send her love to our sister as she doesn’t use a mobile phone. I swear on God, I have to keep up with the act even to this day.”

More about the case

In 2021, The Indian Express reported that Sandhya’s son Raghuveer Singh was acquitted of all charges of murdering her in 2012. A Thane sessions court said that the prosecution could not establish anything except the fact that the accused was addicted to alcohol and had enmity with his mother.

About Sulakshana, her career as a singer-actor

Sulakshana died on Thursday evening after a prolonged illness, her family said. She was 71. Her last rites was performed on Friday at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai.

She is best known for crooning Bekrar Dil Tu Gaye Ja, and Somwar Ko Hum Mile Mangalwar Ko Nain with legendary Kishore Kumar. Her track Pardesiya Tere Desh Mein with music icon Mohammed Rafi was also loved by many. The duo together created several musical gems such as Sona Re Tujhe Kaise Miloon, Yeh Pyara Lage Tera Chehra, Jab Aati Hogi Yaad Meri and Yeh Pyar Kiya Hai. She also sang Saat Samundar Paar duet with legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar.

Sulakshana began her cinematic journey with the 1975 release Uljhan, where she starred opposite the legendary Sanjeev Kumar. Her other film credits include Hera Pheri (1976), Dharam Kanta (1982), Do Waqt Ki Roti (1988), and Goraa (1987), among others.