E-Paper
Punjab AAP leader, his girlfriend, 4 contract killers arrested for wife's murder
The police had taken Anokh Mittal in custody for questioning after doubts arose over his repeatedly changing statements about the incident.
The Punjab police on Monday arrested Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and businessman Anokh Mittal, his girlfriend and four alleged contract killers for allegedly murdering his wife Lipsi Mittal last week.
Lipsi was allegedly killed by armed robbers late on Saturday night when the couple was returning home from a dinner in Punjab's Dehlo.
Initially, Anokh had told the police that he had parked the car alongside the road on their way back to answer nature's call. When he stepped out of the car, at least five men -- armed with sharp-edged weapons -- assaulted him.
When he regained consciousness, he found his wife in a pool of blood on the roadside, and her jewellery and their car were missing.
AAP leader ‘changed statements’
However, later a senior police officer said that Anokh had been changing his statements frequently, prompting a suspicion in investigators that he might be "concocting" the robbery bid.
ALSO READ | Ludhiana: AAP leader’s wife killed during ‘robbery’, police doubt story
After further investigation, police commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal said that the key conspirator turned out to be the woman's husband. Chahal added that police arrested 35-year-old Anokh and his 24-year-old girlfriend in connection with Lipsi's murder.
According to the police, Anokh's wife had found about his extramarital affair, following which he allegedly conspired with his girlfriend to kill his wife.
The commissioner also added that other than Anokh and his girlfriend, four contract killers, namely Amritpal Singh alias Balli (26), Gurdeep Singh alias Manni (25), Sonu Singh (24) and Sagardeep Singh alias Teji (30), have also been arrested.
While Amritpal, Gurdeep and Sonu are from the nearby village of Nandpur, Sagardeep is a resident of Dhandari Kalan.
The kingpin of this contract killer gang, Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi, is still on the run, commissioner Chahal added.
Anokh had reportedly promised the contract killers a pay of ₹2.5 lakh and paid them an advance amount of ₹50000.
Anokh had joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) about four months ago after being inducted into the party by MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi.
With PTI inputs
