Kanpur police are intensifying their investigation into the murder of 63-year-old medicine trader Vineet Minocha. Authorities have prepared a comprehensive list of questions for Minocha’s daughter-in-law, Shalu, who is a suspect, and his son, Subrat. The two will be confronted with each other during questioning to verify their statements and reconstruct the timeline of events leading up to the murder. While Subrat has responded to some inquiries, he has chosen to remain silent on others.
Vineet was killed at his flat on Sept 5. The role of 34-year-old son Subrat has come under the scanner after police found that he allegedly refused to identify former servant and contract killer Vishal despite having spoken to him nearly 300 times in the three months before the murder. Police found that Subrat and Vishal had spoken 309 times over the previous three months and exchanged 25 WhatsApp calls shortly before the murder. Subrat, Shalu and Vishal had also visited several places and shopped together around 20 days before Vineet was killed, police said. Police on Saturday could not secure police custody remand (PCR) of the three accused in the murder of medicine trader Vineet Minocha after the defence sought disposal of an application seeking recording of accused Shalu’s fresh statement under Section 164 CrPC before the plea was heard. The court fixed Sept 22 for further hearing.
Vishal told investigators that Shalu was the planner of the murder, according to police. Police said Subrat allegedly tried to delete call history and some numbers from his phone after the incident, further deepening suspicion. Police alleged that his daughter-in-law Shalu had hatched the murder conspiracy, while Vishal and Raj executed the plan. Police arrested Vishal and Raj following an encounter. Investigators suspect Subrat deliberately withheld the identification to distance himself and his wife from the alleged conspiracy.
Police produced all three accused — Vineet’s daughter-in-law Shalu, former employee Vishal Gautam and his aide Raj Kishore — before the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate.