Mumbai, March 25 (IANS) A sensational and chilling case has come to light in Mumbai’s Sakinaka area, where a man allegedly conspired to murder his wife to continue a relationship with his girlfriend. The accused reportedly paid Rs 6.70 lakh to have his wife killed and attempted to pass off the crime as a suicide.

The case, initially treated as an accidental death, was on the verge of closure but for the victim’s father, whose persistent suspicion led to a dramatic breakthrough.

According to the Sakinaka Police, four accused have been arrested in connection with the case, including the husband, identified as Sakaram Chaudhary (36), along with Shankar Dangi (36), Babu alias Raghav alias Amarchand Gayri (22), and Dinesh Gayri (20).

The incident dates back to October 14, 2024, when the police received information about the body of 34-year-old Narangi alias Geeta Chaudhary, found hanging from a ceiling fan in the kitchen of her residence in Sangharsh Nagar, Sakinaka. Based on the initial assessment of the scene, the police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and began an inquiry, suspecting suicide. The body was sent for post-mortem examination; however, doctors could not conclusively determine the exact cause of death.

Following the initial procedures, the body was taken to Rajasthan for the last rites and buried. However, the victim’s father, Bhanaram Chaudhary (66), suspected foul play and maintained that his daughter had not died by suicide. Acting on his complaint, a case was registered in Rajasthan, giving a new direction to the investigation.

Subsequently, the body was exhumed, and a second post-mortem was conducted. The findings revealed that the woman had been murdered by strangulation using an orange-colored rope. Based on this revelation, the Rajasthan Police registered a Zero FIR and transferred the case to the Sakinaka Police in Mumbai for further investigation.

Upon taking over the case, the Mumbai Police formed a special team and initiated a detailed probe. DCP Datta Nalawade of Zone 10 revealed that the accused husband had made two prior attempts to kill his wife before the fatal incident. The first attempt involved staging a road accident in Powai, while the second involved a physical assault, both of which failed.

Determined to succeed, the accused then hatched a third and final plan. He allegedly hired his associate, Shankar Dangi, for Rs 6.70 lakh to execute the murder, who in turn involved Babu and Dinesh. On October 14, 2024, the trio, along with Sakaram, strangled the victim and later hung her body from a ceiling fan to make it appear as a suicide.

During the investigation, Sakaram initially misled the police through multiple rounds of questioning. However, during the fourth round of sustained interrogation, he broke down and confessed to the crime. The motive was found to be his relationship with another woman, Dimple Chaudhary, as he wanted to eliminate his wife, whom he saw as an obstacle.

Police officials stated that had it not been for the father’s unwavering suspicion and insistence on a second post-mortem, the case would have remained closed as a suicide. The investigation ultimately exposed a meticulously planned and horrifying conspiracy.

–IANS

jk/dpb