Missing Kanpur woman’s body dug up near DM’s residence; gym trainer arrested for murder

Ekta Gupta, the wife of a prominent businessman, had been missing since June 24. Police said her remains were exhumed from the premises of Officers’ Club.

In a sensational crime that has sent shockwaves and raised several unanswered questions, a woman’s body was dug up from near the district magistrate’s (DM’s) residence in Kanpur four months after she was allegedly murdered and buried by her gym trainer.

Officials exhuming the body near the residence of DM (HT)

Ekta Gupta, the wife of a prominent businessman, had been missing since June 24, police said on Sunday, adding that her remains were exhumed from the premises of Officers’ Club, which is a part of the district magistrate’s residence situated in a prime locality of the city.

Vimal Soni, the gym trainer who was arrested from Mall Road on Saturday, confessed to killing Ekta in her car and digging a grave that was 10 feet deep and three feet wide, the idea of which he got from the movie ‘Drishyam’, police officials said. The site is located five feet away from the sentry post on the campus and is separated by a wall that runs between the Club and the DM’s residence.

The body was exhumed around 2 am after four hours of digging in the presence of forensic experts and her husband, Rahul Gupta, who had held two press conferences alleging that the police were not responding to his complaints.

Soni reportedly told the police that he had watched Drishyam nearly 20 times. DM Compound in Kanpur houses residences of many judicial, administrative, and police officers.

Ekta was captured leaving Green Park gym around 6.30 am on June 24 by a CCTV camera.

According to police officials, Soni and Ekta remained in her car for about 30 minutes during which they had an altercation over the former’s engagement ceremony. The car was seen leaving the gym premises around 7 am. At 7.45 am, Soni’s location was traced near Sarsaiya Ghat, which is quite close to the DM’s residence.

At 8.20 am, his location was near Jhari Baba Parao, after which Soni went incognito.

“He told us that he struck Ekta on the neck in the heat of the moment, and she passed out. Then, he strangled her with a rope and a piece of cloth,” said deputy commissioner of police (DCP)-East Shravan Kumar Singh.

Meanwhile, Rahul refuted claims that his wife and Soni shared an intimate relationship, and said the latter had spiked her protein shake to kidnap her for money. Ekta’s brother Himanshu, a banker, stated that the police’s theory was absurd and that they had been negligent in their approach.

On June 25, the police found the car, UP78 CE 4162, outside the residence of Soni’s sister in Juhi Military Camp. A piece of cloth, a rope, a broken SIM card and her hair clutch were found in its trunk.

However, Ekta’s family claimed that the evidence was not put through forensic examination until later.

Speaking to reporters after the body was discovered, Rahul said: “We kept saying that he kidnapped and murdered her, but the police kept deflecting the issue to a romantic entanglement. I wrote to everyone, starting from the commissioner to the PM’s office, and even involved relatives with Intelligence Bureau in Delhi, but nothing happened.”

Meanwhile, the DCP said while on the run, Soni did not use his mobile phone but still managed his social media accounts. Soni withdrew ₹2,000 from an ATM in Agra. He returned to Kanpur when he ran out of money, and his location was traced to Mall Road, from where he was arrested.

During interrogation, Soni initially misled the police and claimed that Ekta was in Kashmir for a job, but later broke down and admitted to murdering her and dumping the body in the Ganga, the official added. The police found contradictions in his statements regarding where he disposed of the body. Eventually, he revealed to the police the place where he had buried the body.

“We are looking into whether the murder was premeditated as the accused dug a 10-foot grave to ensure the body decomposed quickly,” said additional commissioner of police (Law and Order) Harish Chander. Soni was produced before a magistrate on Sunday and remanded to judicial custody. “The police will ensure that the accused is tried in a fast-track court,” he stated.

WHYS AND HOWS DOT ANATOMY OF CRIME

1. The police claim they have two clips of Vimal Soni at the DM compound on June 24 -- one from the morning and the other from noon. Why the police did not investigate why he was at the DM compound?

2. Why was his car, found the next day outside his sister’s house, not forensically examined for clues from the material in the trunk?

3. The police claim Soni took the body in his car to the Officers’ Club through a gate 10 feet away from the site where she was buried. The width of the gate is 1,676 mm, while the car (minus side mirrors) is 1,680 mm wide. How did he manage that?

4. The gates of the officers’ club are locked from the inside. How did he manage to open the iron doors at 7:15 a.m. on June 24 and take the body inside without anyone noticing?

5. The site where the body was buried is merely seven feet away from the DM’s residence sentry post. Didn’t anyone hear digging at such a short distance?

6. Why are there contradictions in the statements of the officers? The Additional CP said Soni dug the place, while the DCP East claimed the area was already dug up to plant saplings. Is it possible to dig 10 feet deep to plant saplings?

7. The family alleges that the police assumed a romantic entanglement and did not act on their fears that she was kidnapped and murdered.

Shielded despite unsavoury conduct?

Vimal Soni, a personal trainer to several IPS and IAS officers for the last 15 years, has had his conduct continually questioned, but his allegedly deep connections have seemingly protected him, according to people in the sports and police departments aware of the details. In 2022, the then regional sports director Mudrita Pathak terminated his contract following numerous complaints about his inappropriate behaviour in the gym, particularly towards women. However, this decision was revoked after pressure from a bureaucrat he trained, as reported by two individuals in the know of things.

“His contract was ultimately terminated by current RSD RN Singh after an FIR for kidnapping was lodged by Ekta Gupta’s husband, Rahul Gupta. The Guptas reside near the stadium where this gym was constructed under the Smart City project,” an official said.

Victim’s family seeks CBI probe

Kanpur: The family of Ekta Gupta has alleged that gym trainer Vimal Soni received assistance from multiple individuals in burying her body at the officers’ club. Her husband, Rahul Gupta, has called for a CBI inquiry.

“Clearly, he had help. I urge chief minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure justice and recommend a CBI investigation into this case,” Gupta said.

DID HE ACT ALONE?

Additional CP Harish Chandra, indicated that police are examining whether Soni acted alone or received assistance in the planning and execution of the crime. “We are investigating the case thoroughly, and all angles will be covered,” he stated.

Now, police, intel verification for all gym trainers

Kanpur: The police have decided to conduct police and intelligence verification of all gym trainers across the city. Additional CP, Law and Order, Harish Chandra, stated that all four DCPs have been instructed to begin the verification process tomorrow. “We will carry out separate intelligence checks on the conduct of trainers. If anyone is found crossing the boundaries, strict measures will be taken against them,” he added.