KANPUR: A Rs 15 lakh debt, an alleged shop theft and a long-running family feud have emerged as key threads in the Kanpur businessman murder case after the victim’s former servant changed his statement, leading police to arrest the victim’s son Subrat.Vishal Gautam, who was earlier arrested along with Raj Kishore and Subrat’s wife Shalu in connection with the murder of pharmaceutical businessman Vineet Minocha, initially told police that Shalu had offered him Rs 6 lakh to kill her father-in-law.During custodial questioning on Wednesday, however, Vishal changed his statement and alleged that it was Subrat who offered him the money and instructed him to name Shalu if he was caught, police said.The development prompted police to arrest Subrat late Wednesday.Police commissioner Raghubir Lal said investigators were examining Vishal’s latest statement along with circumstantial and electronic evidence to establish Subrat’s alleged role in the murder.
Debt, alleged shop theft put son under scanner
According to police, Vishal also alleged that Subrat had earlier arranged a theft at his own shop through him. The alleged theft subsequently led to frequent disputes between Subrat and his father, investigators said.Police said Subrat had disclosed that he was facing a debt of around Rs 15 lakh. Investigators are now examining whether the financial pressure and family disputes were linked to the alleged murder plot.The latest questioning also brought fresh scrutiny on Subrat’s communication with Vishal.Investigators found that Vishal had obtained a new SIM card days before the murder and made his first call from the number to Subrat, police said.Police had earlier found extensive communication between Subrat, Shalu and Vishal.Call records showed the three exchanged 330 calls in the 21 days before Vineet’s murder, with nearly 300 involving Subrat and around 30 involving Shalu.On the day of the murder, Shalu and Vishal spoke 14 times, while investigators also recovered WhatsApp call records between them.
From Shalu as alleged mastermind to Subrat under scanner
The latest development marks a major shift in the direction of the investigation.Police had earlier alleged that Shalu planned the murder with Vishal and offered him Rs 6 lakh over a dispute involving CCTV cameras installed at the family’s apartment.Investigators had alleged that Shalu gave Vishal the original apartment key so he could get a duplicate made and informed him when she, Subrat and their son would be away.Vishal and Raj Kishore allegedly entered the apartment on September 5, posing as medicine delivery men and hid inside a bedroom.The alleged plan was initially to suffocate Vineet and make his death appear to be from a heart attack.However, when Vineet returned home and entered the bedroom, the assailants allegedly attacked him. His postmortem found 26 stab wounds, and his throat had also been slit, according to police.Police had also said nothing was stolen from Vineet’s apartment, strengthening their suspicion at the time that the killing was motivated by personal enmity rather than robbery.
Police now re-examine Shalu’s role
Subrat’s arrest came after he was confronted with Vishal during the 24-hour custody remand of Vishal, Raj Kishore and Shalu, police said.Investigators are also examining fresh information concerning Shalu, Lal said.Police took Shalu, Vishal and Raj Kishore to Z Square Mall, Kalyanpur police station and the IIT police outpost to verify their movements and also examined call records and the apartment key.Acting on information provided by Raj Kishore, police recovered a blood-stained cloth, a gamchha and the apartment key from a vacant plot in Ratan Orbit.Police had earlier alleged that Shalu gave Vishal the gamchha to cover his face during the murder.The investigation is now focused on reconciling the conflicting statements and electronic evidence to establish who allegedly planned the killing and the role played by each of the accused.
