Woman, partner held for murder of husband

A 35-year-old woman and her 24-year-old boyfriend were arrested for murdering her husband, attempting to disguise it as an electrocution.

A 35-year-old woman and her 24-year-old boyfriend have been arrested on Saturday for the murder of the woman’s husband, police said. The two had previously tried to pass off the murder as death by electrocution.

The accused, Sushmita Devi. (HT Photo)

The matter was reported on July 13 at Uttam Nagar police station when Mata Rooprani Maggo hospital in west Delhi’s Uttam Nagar alerted the police about a man brought in dead. The deceased was identified as Karan Dev, a resident of Om Vihar. The accused are Sushmita Dev, 35, and Karan’s cousin, Rahul Dev.

“The patient, Karan, was declared brought dead and was shifted for post mortem. Initially, the family insisted on forgoing the post mortem, claiming that he had died after coming into contact with a live cord,” deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said.

Despite the family’s assertion, police went ahead with the autopsy the following day. Police said the doctors confirmed death due to electrocution but noted the presence of sleeping pills in Karan’s stomach. “The viscera was preserved for toxicological analysis,” an officer said.

According to investigators, Sushmita allegedly spiked Karan’s food with sleeping pills, then, once he was unconscious, she and Rahul electrocuted him with a high voltage cord. “Touching a high voltage extension cord like that could lead to fatal electrocution,” the officer explained.

After the two were confirmed that Karan has died, they fabricated the story of accidental electrocution. The couple, married for several years, had a six-year-old son. However, Sushmita reportedly began an affair with Rahul a year ago. “She didn’t want a divorce—due to their child and social stigma—so they planned to eliminate Karan,” an investigating official elaborated.

Police have registered a murder case following Kunal’s complaint and recovered digital evidence. The two accused were taken into custody on Saturday for interrogation.