Bizman found dead in car at Juhu, woman arrested

The 43-year-old victim and the accused were allegedly in an extra-marital relationship

A 26-year-old woman was arrested on Monday for allegedly murdering a 43-year-old businessman in Santacruz late on Sunday night. The police found the body of Juhu resident Tilakraj Rajput in his SUV at 12.40am on Monday.

The police said the murder was the fallout of a six-year extra-marital affair between Rajput and the woman, identified only as Ronita. They said Ronita wanted to end their relationship but Rajput was against this.

Rajput lived with his wife and two daughters in a joint family at Juhu Tara Road, while Ronita, the police said, works at a hotel and lives in Vile Parle. The police suspect Rajput was murdered just before midnight, after he and Ronita had an hour-long argument in his car.

Senior inspector Shantanu Pawar at Santacruz police station said, “A fight over their relationship led to the murder. Rajput was not ready to end the relationship. In a fit of rage, the woman strangled him and fled.”

A police patrol van found Rajput unconscious – with strangulation marks around his neck – in his Mahindra XUV near Nanavati Hospital, SV Road, at 12.40 am. He was taken to Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle, but declared dead on arrival. The police said they did not find his phone in the vehicle. They put together a team to locate the killer and soon arrested Ronita from Juhu. She was booked for murder on Monday morning.