According to police Shalu began planning the murder about three months ago.
The couple allegedly reached the lounge around 10.30pm and returned home around 3am, when they found Vineet’s body. Police said 49 messages exchanged between Shalu and Vishal from May 1 until the day of the murder had been deleted. During the same period, the two allegedly exchanged 309 calls. Vineet, 60, was found murdered inside his Kanpur flat on September 5.
You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
“Subrat has neither been arrested nor made an accused in the case,” Commissioner of Police Raghubir Lal told PTI. He said his call detail records and other intelligence inputs were being examined. Shalu arranged for Vishal and Raj Kishore to enter the apartment and hide in her bedroom before she left with Subrat for a party, according to police. We have recovered data from their seized phones and are trying to retrieve deleted messages,” Lal said. A senior police official said Vishal had initially been sending Shalu good morning and good night messages without receiving a response. About three months before the murder, police said, she began replying and gradually started engaging with him. DCP West SM Qasim Abidi said Vishal deleted his chat history with Shalu after the murder, but was unable to completely erase the WhatsApp call records. He said it was a ‘regular kitty’ involving people associated with the pharmaceutical trade and not a “high-society party”.
KANPUR: Five days after pharmaceutical trader Vineet Manocha was stabbed to death inside his Kanpur home, questions over who knew about the alleged murder plot have brought his son Subrat Manocha under scrutiny. The main focus of the investigation remains Subrat’s wife, Shalu Manocha, whom police allege helped plan the murder and enlisted two alleged contract killers, Vishal Gautam and Raj Kishore. Police are now trying to establish whether Subrat knew about the alleged plan. Investigators are now examining videos purportedly showing Shalu dancing at the gathering to establish whether they were recorded on the night of the murder. “We are also examining communication between Shalu and Vishal. The investigation into their communication has thrown up what police describe as an extended exchange between Shalu and Vishal. Police believe the conversations marked the beginning of the alleged murder plan. Investigators suspect Shalu intentionally manipulated Vishal into carrying out the killing. The digital trail has become a key part of the investigation. Shalu’s lawyer, Shivakant Dixit, has disputed the police characterisation of the gathering she attended on the night of the murder. Police have since been investigating Shalu’s alleged role, the involvement of the two suspected contract killers. Download the TOI App.
Arora said Shalu was close to Vineet and regularly looked after his food and other daily needs. He also questioned why Subrat had remained silent and said the family had been unable to contact him since the murder. Shalu complimented Vishal on his appearance, telling him he was smart, according to the officer.
Shalu ‘s family, however, has rejected the allegations. She also asked whether he was in a relationship and why he had not yet married. Her elder brother Dheeraj Arora and sister Sonia Mehrotra told reporters on Thursday that it was difficult to believe she could have orchestrated the killing.
“If his involvement is established during the investigation, action will be taken against him,” Lal said. One of the questions investigators are trying to answer is how Shalu could allegedly communicate with Vishal while planning the murder without her husband becoming aware of it.