Driver, domestic help turn out to be killers of retd IAS’s wife

The men held a grudge against their employer for not providing enough financial aid to cover medical expenses. Valuables worth ₹1 crore were recovered in a dramatic encounter on Tuesday.

LUCKNOW: Trusted driver and domestic help employed for the last 13 years turned out to be the killers of Mohini Dubey (58), the wife of retired IAS officer Devendra Nath Dubey. Mohini was found dead at her home on Saturday morning.

A scene from the place of encounter (Sourced)

These revelations were made by police three days after the sensational killing of the woman after police arrested Akhilesh Yadav (27), his brother Ravi Yadav, and Ranjeet (23). According to police, the house help Akhilesh and driver Ravi, a resident of Cantt, involved Ranjeet, a PGI resident, in their plan with an agreement to share one-third of the loot.

Police also recovered valuables worth ₹1 crore, including diamonds, multiple gold jewellery pieces, silver coins, and various foreign currencies, along with the CCTV DVR which they had taken with them. Police also recovered the scooty and screwdriver used as the weapon to kill the victim.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Akash Kulhary, joint commissioner of police (crime), told media persons that the prime motive of the accused was to rob the house and then kill Mohini.

The JCP said that financial challenges for the men were the primary reason they opted for such extreme steps. “During interrogation, Akhilesh revealed that he had been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), leading to increased medical expenses. As a result, he had borrowed ₹2-2.5 lakhs from multiple people and was unable to repay them. Meanwhile, he had recently incurred huge expenses on his marriage. Devendra had promised to help him financially but had only given ₹21,000 for the wedding, which left him upset with his employer,” said Kulhary.

How they executed a well-planned murder

To overcome their financial distress, the accused drafted a plan to rob the house. “They found Saturday to be the perfect time to execute their plan, as the maid was on leave and the gardener employed at the house also arrived late. They chose Devendra’s golf timing to execute their plan,” said the JCP (Crime).

They further told police that while Ravi Yadav drove Devendra to play golf, he gave hints to Akhilesh and Ranjeet on his way, who were waiting at a nearby crossing. The duo then reached Devendra’s house in Sector 20, where Mohini opened the main door for them and invited them inside, as she already knew Akhilesh. He introduced Ranjeet to her, saying he would be helping them in their house from now on.

“As soon as Ranjeet bowed down to touch Mohini’s feet, Akhilesh attacked her from behind using a screwdriver multiple times and then strangled her to death using a ‘dupatta’,” said Kulhary. He added that they then robbed the entire house, fully utilising their time, and fled the scene on their scooty.

Key Clue: No sign of forced entry

“The lack of any signs of forced entry proved to be a crucial lead for the police, hinting towards someone close to the family,” said JCP, adding that the house had a gate which Mohini would only open for acquaintances. Based on this, the movement in the CCTV footage was closely examined.

“Even though the accused had covered their faces with helmets while fleeing on the scooty towards Neelmatha, one of them probably felt the heat and removed his helmet, which helped the police identify the accused,” said SB Shiradkar, Commissioner of Police, Lucknow.

Valuables seized during encounter

“The accused had hidden the CCTV and the DVR in a bag near Kukrail Bandha. Today, when police took Akhilesh to recover the items, he fired at the police using a gun kept in the hidden bag. In retaliation, police shot him in the leg and is currently undergoing treatment,” said the JCP (Crime), adding that the police will take the trio into custody. A sub-inspector from Ghazipur police station was also injured.

Caption: A scene from the place of encounter