Was murdered Barc scientist a sex maniac?

Was Mahadevan Padmanabhan Iyer, the 46-year-old senior scientist from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc), who was found murdered, a sex maniac?

Numerous packets of condoms, pornographic videos, photographs of men, and proof that gigolos visited his house often all point to Iyer leading a colourful life.

This conclusion has been validated by the initial investigation, said the police. They confirmed that Iyer was homosexual and used to invite male prostitutes home regularly. In fact, they said, he had established sexual relationships with most of the men he was acquainted with.

Iyer’s decomposed body was found in his Anand Bhuvan apartment at the Barc quarters, next to Breach Candy Hospital, late on Tuesday night. He was murdered in his apartment and the corpse was lying in the flat for two days, the police said.

According to an officer from the Gamdevi police station, the watchmen of the building in which Iyer lived for the past seven years revealed that the scientist used to call gigolos to his house.

"They told us that only men used to visit Iyer’s house. Also, he used to prefer well-built and good-looking men for sex,” an officer said.

The police are trying to trace the men whose photographs were found at Iyer’s flat, as they suspect that the murderer may also have been a gigolo.

The police found several packets of condoms in the flat. “We have found several condoms in his cupboard, bed, pockets, and many other places in the house,” the officer said, adding that they had also found pornographic videos and a stack of postcard-sized photographs of foreign male models.

The police suspect that Iyer was killed when he was about to have sex, as a pack of condoms, with two taken out, was found lying near his corpse on the bed.

“We believe he was staying alone so that he could invite gigolos and other sex partners home without inconvenience," the police officer quoted earlier said. "His family was also aware of his proximity with men.” The police are getting call details of Iyer's landline phone.

Sanjay V Mohite, deputy commissioner of police (zone II), said: “We have got two fingerprints on a glass found in the house and will be comparing those with those of his colleagues.”