Model and social media influencer Shraddha Dubey, who is wanted in connection with the death of Lucknow cafe owner Shiva Sharma, has denied reports that she is missing, claiming in a video statement released on Wednesday night that Sharma died by suicide and not murder.
Dubey said she intended to appear before the police to record her statement and disclose what happened. Her remarks came after the Lucknow police announced a reward of ₹25,000 each for information leading to the arrest of Dubey, her sister Rashmi and their driver in connection with Sharma’s death on October 9.
DCP (central) Vikrant Vir said the prime accused remained at large, with police teams sent to Delhi and the Nepal border following intelligence inputs about her possible escape routes.
‘I am not missing anywhere’
Deep Dive
What did Shraddha Dubey say happened to Shiva Sharma?
Why are police investigating Shiva Sharma’s death as a murder?
Where was the SUV linked to Shraddha Dubey found?
In the purported video, Dubey said she wanted to cooperate with the police and urged the media not to link her to politicians or senior officials, claiming she had no involvement with them.
"I am not missing anywhere. I want to come to the police and give my statement. I want to tell them everything that is true,” Dubey can be heard saying in the video.
She also disputed the murder allegations surrounding Sharma’s death, describing the incident as suicide.
{{/usCountry}}She also disputed the murder allegations surrounding Sharma’s death, describing the incident as suicide.
{{/usCountry}}“Whatever is true regarding Shiva Sharma is that he was not murdered. It was a suicide,” she said.
The claims come as investigators examine CCTV footage that purportedly captures Sharma’s fatal fall from the fourth floor of Awadh Green Apartments in Lucknow’s Balu Adda area. The footage surfaced on Tuesday and is being examined to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish the roles of those present at the apartment.
Police have also questioned two to three people close to Dubey to gather details about her relationship with Sharma and the circumstances surrounding his death.
What Sharma’s family alleged
Sharma, 28, was found dead after falling from the apartment where he had allegedly been living with Dubey for around three to four months, as reported by HT earlier.
His mother, Ranjana Sharma, accused Dubey, her sister Rashmi and several others of assaulting, harassing and blackmailing her son before his death. Based on the complaint, Hazratganj police registered a murder case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the FIR, a copy of which HT has accessed, Dubey allegedly pushed Sharma from the fourth floor. His mother also claimed that his body bore cigarette-burn marks.
Post-mortem report details injuries
The post-mortem report cited multiple external injuries and extensive internal trauma, including damage to the lungs, liver and spleen. The cause of death was attributed to shock and haemorrhage.
While the findings establish the severity of Sharma’s injuries, they do not, by themselves, determine whether he was pushed, jumped or fell accidentally. Investigators will have to establish the circumstances surrounding his death through the available evidence.
Who is Shraddha Dubey?
Originally from Rae Bareli, Dubey built a public profile through modelling assignments, beauty pageants and fashion events. She reportedly won the ‘Best Face of Lucknow’ title and has around 1.41 lakh followers on Instagram, where her account, stylebookbyshraddha, features photographs and reels.
A music video featuring Dubey, released by a prominent music company around seven years ago, has reportedly garnered approximately 2.7 lakh views on YouTube.
Her photographs with politicians, police officers and people reportedly linked to criminal backgrounds have drawn renewed attention following Sharma’s death. Several pictures featuring influential personalities were reportedly removed from her social media account on Tuesday.