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3 arrested for murder of elderly couple in Kolkata, mastermind on the run
It was a pre-planned murder and the mastermind is a distant relative of the couple, police said adding that a few more persons are likely to be arrested soon.
KOLKATA: The Kolkata police arrested three persons on Thursday in connection with the murder of an elderly couple whose bodies were found on Monday in their house, which is located less than one kilometre away from chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence at Bhowanipore in south Kolkata, police said.
“It was a pre-planned murder. The mastermind, who is a distant relative of the couple, is still absconding. The investigation is underway. A few more persons are likely to be arrested soon,” said Vineet Kumar Goyal, commissioner of Kolkata police, without divulging the name of the mastermind.
Ashok Shah, an elderly businessman, and his wife Reshmi were found murdered in their south Kolkata house on Monday evening. While Reshmi was shot dead, there were multiple stab wounds on Ashok’s body.
The investigation so far has revealed that in January 2019, Shah had lent ₹1 lakh to the brother of his son-in-law’s relative. He was supposed to repay it with interest. This man had borrowed money from other persons too. But he died due to Covid-19. The son-in-law’s distant relative agreed to repay the loan.
“This distant relative is the main conspirator. The trio, who has been arrested, were known to him as they lived in the same area at Liluah in Howrah district. Even the three accused had lent money to the conspirator’s brother before his death,” Goyal said.
Police while examining the videos captured by the CCTV cameras installed in the neighbourhood spotted the relative in one video clip. The family members also said that Shah had problems with this relative over repayment of loan.
“As the couple knew him, they allowed him to enter the house along with his associates. Reshmi even offered them water. Negotiations for reducing the loan amount were going on with Shah when one of the accused stabbed Ashok,” said Goyal.
The arrested accused have been identified as Subodh Singh, 45, Jatin Mehta, 44 and Ratnakar Nag, 39. Singh has a criminal antecedent and was recently arrested. “More people are involved,” said Goyal.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Wednesday that personal enmity and a relative of the family could be behind the murder of the couple.
“It is a case of personal enmity. I cannot disclose all the details about the police investigation, but after speaking with the police and the family I can guess that their relative may be involved. A killer was hired,” the chief minister told reporters.
Banerjee, who had been camping in north Bengal since Monday, returned to Kolkata on Wednesday and visited the family.
“I am shocked. And it’s not just me but the entire neighborhood. I have grown up here. We regularly use these roads. This is a very peaceful area and never in the past had such incidents taken place,” she said.
Police found that that couple had invested significantly in the stock market and was also trying to sell the house. Some jewellery and cash, along with two mobile phones, were missing from the house, the family had told the police.
