After failed attempts, Mumbai man hires friends for ₹6.7 lakh to kill wife to live with lover

The incident took place on October 14, 2024, when Geeta, 34, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her kitchen.

Published on: Mar 25, 2026, 16:18:05 IST

Written by Shivya Kanojia

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Maharashtra Police has arrested a man in Mumbai for allegedly plotting the murder of his wife, Geeta Chaudhary, in a calculated act driven by an extramarital affair. The case, which initially appeared to be a suicide, came to light a year and a half later after persistent investigation revealed the chilling details.

The investigation found that Sakaram had tried twice to kill Geeta before resorting to hiring people to murder her. (Praful Gangurde/HT)

The incident took place on October 14, 2024, when Geeta, 34, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her kitchen. The man has been identified as Sakaram.

Police initially treated it as an accidental death and registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR). The post-mortem at the time failed to determine a clear cause of death, and Geeta’s body was subsequently transported to Rajasthan for her last rites, according to a report by NDTV.

However, suspicion arose within her family. Her father, Bhanaram Chaudhary, refused to accept that his daughter would take her own life, the report further added.

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Convinced that foul play was involved, he lodged a formal complaint and pressed for the case to be reinvestigated. Geeta’s body was exhumed, and a second post-mortem confirmed that she had died from strangulation.

The investigation found that Sakaram had tried twice to kill Geeta before resorting to hiring people to murder her.

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The first attempt involved staging a road accident in Powai, and the second was physical assault. After these failures, he enlisted his friend, Shankar Dangi, and two accomplices, Babu (also known as Raghav or Amarchand Gayari) and Dinesh Gayri, to carry out the murder for a sum of ₹6.7 lakh.

On October 14, they strangled Geeta and staged the scene to appear as a suicide.

During questioning, Sakaram initially misled investigators but eventually admitted to the crime. He revealed that he had been involved in an affair with a woman named Dimple Chaudhary and wanted to live with her. Geeta, his wife, became an “obstacle” to this.

All four accused—Sakaram, Shankar Dangi, Babu, and Dinesh Gayri—have been arrested.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shivya Kanojia
Shivya Kanojia is a journalist at Hindustan Times, where she works in the fast-paced digital news ecosystem with a strong sense of editorial judgement and a clear understanding of what makes a story both important and traffic-driven. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Shivya brings a thoughtful balance of news value and audience relevance to her work, ensuring stories resonate beyond the immediate headline. Over the course of her three-year journey in the digital news space, Shivya has worked across a wide range of beats, including politics, civic issues, human-interest features and trending news. This diverse exposure has shaped her ability to approach stories with nuance, adaptability and context, whether she is breaking down complex developments or spotlighting everyday narratives that often go unnoticed. She is particularly drawn to human-interest stories, interviews and explainers that offer depth and clarity, aiming to move past surface-level reporting to explore the people, emotions and circumstances behind the news. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Shivya worked with Firstpost and Times Now, where she covered a broad spectrum of topics and honed her skills in digital journalism . Outside the newsroom, Shivya enjoys discovering new cafés, drawn to good coffee, cosy spaces and unhurried conversations. Shopping is another pastime she cherishes, not always out of necessity, but often guided by instinct and the simple joy of stumbling upon unexpected finds. Above all, she treasures time spent with loved ones, finding meaning in shared laughter, simple moments and memories that linger long after.Read More

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