Woman's gym affair leads to plotting husband's murder - Here's how she was caught
PTC News Desk: Three years after a businessman was shot dead in Panipat, Haryana, a WhatsApp message and keen observation by a police officer have unveiled a suspicious murder allegedly plotted by the victim's wife.
On December 15, 2021, Vinod Bharara was shot and killed at his residence. Dev Sunar, a truck driver involved in an accident that left Vinod critically ill, was the gunman. When Dev Sunar was arrested, he informed police that Vinod had rejected an out-of-court settlement in the accident case, which was why he had shot him dead.
The gunman was incarcerated, the victim had passed away, and the case was in cold storage. Subsequently, Ajit Singh Shekhawat, the IPS officer and chief of district police, received a message on his WhatsApp. The message suggested that Vinod's murder was planned by someone close to him and urged the police officer to investigate the case further. Investigators discovered that Vinod's Australian-residing brother Pramod was the sender of the mail. The officer noticed something was strange when he looked through the files carefully.
Studying the case, I couldn't understand why a man would murder another man only for refusing to negotiate a settlement in an accident lawsuit. The officer clarified that although reckless driving does not carry a harsh penalty and that accused parties frequently gain bail, murder carries a significantly harsher sentence.
The senior officer persuaded Deepak Kumar of the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Haryana police to reexamine the case. Investigating further, the police discovered that Dev Sunar was close to Sumit, a personal trainer at a gym who was acquainted with Vinod Bharara's wife Nidhi. As police closed up on the suspects and interrogated them, their statements filled in the blanks in the case.
An Affair of Killers
Sumit and Vinod Bharara's daughter Nidhi met at a gym that Nidhi regularly went to. As the two got closer, an affair started. After learning of this, Vinod allegedly confronted his wife, which resulted in regular fights at home. Along with their face-offs, the businessman asked Sumit to avoid his wife. The investigation has shown that Nidhi and Sumit reportedly planned to kill Vinod as the arguments went on.
A Mistake Made, And A Backup Plan
Sumit admitted to the police after interrogation that they had approached Punjabi truck driver Dev Sunar about the assassination job. The truck driver received a cash offer of ₹ 10 lakh. He concurred. On January 5, 2021, Sunar hit Vinod's automobile with a pick-up van that had been organized. Despite having severe injuries, Vinod lived.
Frustrated by their setback, Nidhi and Sumit turned on plan B. When Sunar went to Vinod's house, he requested him to resolve the collision claim. When he refused, Sunar fatally shot him. The inquiry also revealed that Sumit and Nidhi left on a trip to Manali a few days after Vinod was killed. She also sent her kids to reside with their Australian uncle, according to press sources.
The Great Disclosure
When the police connected the dots, they detained Nidhi and Sumit and interrogated them about their discoveries. Both of them acknowledged the crime. It was also discovered that Nidhi was using the insurance money she got after Vinod passed away to cover Dev Sunar's household and legal bills.
She had, in fact, recanted her testimony as the main witness in her husband's slaying. This would seriously undermine the argument. Nidhi and Sumit were detained and brought before the court once it became evident how involved they were in the murder. They are currently incarcerated.
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- With inputs from agencies
