Badlapur: A 40-year-old Badlapur resident and his mother have been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife and attempting to portray her death as a heart attack more than two months ago.The murder came to light after forensic and post-mortem examination reports received by Badlapur police on Tuesday revealed that the woman, Prajakta Meher, had died due to suffocation caused by smothering and strangulation, contradicting the family’s claim of a natural death. Acting on the findings, police registered a case of murder against Prajakta’s husband Yogesh and her mother-in-law Aruna and arrested them.Prajakta and Yogesh got married in 2010. They have two children aged 15 and 11. Investigators alleged that Yogesh had an extramarital affair with a woman from his village and was pressuring Prajakta for a divorce, but she refused. Police sources said Yogesh had even offered money to his in-laws in an attempt to secure the divorce, but the family declined. He then allegedly began harassing his wife.On April 9, Yogesh informed Prajakta’s family that she had suffered a fatal heart attack. Based on the information initially available, police registered an Accidental Death Report and sent the body for post-mortem examination at JJ Hospital in Mumbai. Assistant commissioner of police Shailesh Kale said Prajakta’s viscera samples were preserved for further examination. The reports were received on Tuesday.Prajakta’s parents have demanded the arrest of the woman with whom Yogesh allegedly has an affair, as well as other family members whom they suspect may have been involved in the crime.
