Rohit Shekhar murder: Wife named in charge sheet, cops say she smothered him - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Rohit Shekhar murder: Wife named in charge sheet, cops say she smothered him

Jul 22, 2019 07:19 AM IST

Rohit Shekhar’s wife, Apoorva Shukla, has been charged for strangulating and smothering her husband with a pillow.

The Delhi police crime branch on Thursday filed a charge sheet in the murder case of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, the son of late veteran politician ND Tiwari, accusing Shekhar’s wife, Apoorva Shukla of killing him.

The Delhi police crime branch on Thursday filed a charge sheet in the murder case of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, the son of late veteran politician ND Tiwari, accusing Shekhar’s wife, Apoorva Shukla of killing him.(PTI Photo)
The Delhi police crime branch on Thursday filed a charge sheet in the murder case of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, the son of late veteran politician ND Tiwari, accusing Shekhar’s wife, Apoorva Shukla of killing him.(PTI Photo)

In the 518-page charge sheet, the police have said that Shukla,35, murdered Shekhar because she suspected that her husband had an affair. The police have charged Shukla with strangulating and smothering her husband with a pillow.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

A charge sheet is a document containing the details of charges and evidence against the accused person.

Shekhar, 39, was declared brought dead at a city hospital on April 16. Shukla had then told the police that she rushed Shekhar to the hospital after finding him unconscious in his room at their house in Defence Colony. Shukla, Shekhar’s half-brother Siddharth and two male servants were in the house on the night of the murder.

While Shekhar was initially believed to have died of a heart attack, the autopsy found that he died of “asphyxiation due to ante mortem strangulation and smothering”, prompting the police to start a murder investigation. Police had then registered a case of murder and arrested Shukla. Shukla’s parents, Manjula and PK Shukla ,have earlier denied the allegations and accused police of framing her.

Police officers who have prepared the charge sheet said they have taken the statements of at least 56 witnesses that include Shekhar’s mother, the servants who were in the house, Shekhar’s cousin and relatives. An officer said that most witnesses have confirmed that only Shukla was in the room at the time of the murder. Police have also retrieved text messages that Shukla had sent to a lawyer in which she had allegedly mentioned apprehensions that Shekhar might give away the Defence Colony property to his cousin.

A police officer, who did not wish to be named said, “The evidence is circumstantial and oral, which includes statements of witnesses. At the time of death, only Shukla was in his room. The family members have also confirmed that the couple had a strained relationship. Shukla had stayed with her husband only for a few weeks after their marriage. Even during the last phone conversation over WhatsApp, when Shekhar was returning in a car with his cousin, he had had a fight with Shukla. Shukla was unhappy that Shekhar was with his cousin. She suspected Shekhar of having an affair with his cousin and feared he would give the property to her.”

Police have also mentioned that the couple had an argument minutes before the murder. Police said Shukla had allegedly seen Shekhar and his cousin drinking from the same glass inside the car during the WhatsApp video call.

Shekhar, an advocate, had fought a legal battle with ND Tiwari to prove that he was the late veteran politician’s biological son. In 2014, a paternity test decided the case in Shekhar’s favour, following which the three-time Uttar Pradesh chief minister publically accepted him as his son.

Shukla had met Rohit Shekhar through a matrimonial website in 2017 and got married in May last year.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away!- Login Now!

Get latest Updates of All City News along with Delhi News, Bengaluru News, Mumbai News and Top Headlines from India
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On