Model’s murder: Lover’s sister, friend held

Three days after model Puneet Sandhu (27) was found murdered at her Sector-49 flat, the police on Sunday cracked the case with the arrest of her live-in partner’s sister and friend. Puneet was shot at point-blank range and had suffered three bullet injuries in her face and shoulder on October 16.

Three days after model Puneet Sandhu (27) was found murdered at her Sector-49 flat, the police on Sunday cracked the case with the arrest of her live-in partner’s sister and friend.

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Puneet was shot at point-blank range and had suffered three bullet injuries in her face and shoulder on October 16. The case was being investigated by the Chandigarh crime branch and the ASP (south).

During the course of interrogation, it came out that Amit Chaudhary’s sister Anju had hired his friend Supreet to eliminate Puneet. The immediate provocation behind the crime was that Amit had decided to get Puneet in his Sector 47 house, which the family did not approve.

Puneet was living in with Amit for the past five years. Amit was married and had two children. Puneet’s sister in her complaint to the police had alleged that Amit’s father Ram Lal had killed her as he was against their relationship. Amit had even promised to marry Puneet after divorcing his wife which did not go down well with Amit’s family. Ram Lal had also threatened Puneet to leave his son or else she would be eliminated.

DSP (crime) Jagbir Singh said after the complaint they registered a case and investigations were initiated. He said when Puneet was found murdered Supreet called Amit to come at Puneet’s residence to have dinner. When Amit reached Puneet’s flat, he found her dead.

Accused Anju, a resident of Sector 4, Mansa Devi Complex, Panchkula, hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Puneet. Anju talked about her plan to Supreet and asked him to execute the crime.

She promised to pay Rs 6 lakh to Supreet for killing Puneet. The initial amount of Rs 1 lakh was handed over to him. Supreet bought the weapon used in the offence, a country-made pistol, with these Rs 1 lakh.

He reached Puneet’s flat and shot at her face and shoulder. After killing her, Supreet confirmed the development to Anju over the phone and later went to her house in Panchkula.

Supreet reached Puneet’s house around 8.30pm and entered into a conversation with her. Then he took out the pistol and shot her.

The police also recovered the weapon and live cartridges, from Supreet’s residence, along with Rs 22,000 (the remaining of amount given by Anju). The accused were produced before the court and were remanded in two days of police custody.

How cops cracked the case

The police cracked the case after scanning the call records of Puneet, Amit and their relatives. During investigation, it came out that Anju and Supreet had exchanged a large number of calls the day the crime was executed. The tower location of Supreet also reflected that he was present in Sector 49 at the time of murder and later went to Panchkula. During sustained interrogation, Supreet and Anju confessed to the crime.

The police have not so far given a clean chit to Ram Lal and Amit and their role is still being investigated into.

Profile of accused

Anju, 25, is a housewife and married to a commercial pilot, while Supreet, 24, a resident of Sector 48, is unemployed. He was also booked at the age of 17 for allegedly making a vulgar MMS of his girlfriend. He was arrested in the case, but later acquitted after the girl retracted from her complaint. Supreet also claimed that he was pursuing higher studies through private enrolment.