HC lawyer found dead

Mystery shrouds the alleged suicide of Dahisar resident, Vidya Motherao (30) who was found dead on her birthday on Thursday.

Mystery shrouds the alleged suicide of Dahisar resident, Vidya Motherao (30) who was found dead on her birthday on Thursday.

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Though the police have registered a case of suicide, the deceased’s kin allege it to be a murder at the hands of her friend and business partner Manish Dubey (32).

According to the police, Motherao, a lawyer practising at Borivli Metropolitan magistrate’s Court and the Bombay High Court was found dead at her home. She had allegedly committed suicide by hanging.

Her brother Santosh Motherao said she got a call on Wednesday from someone whom she apparently went to meet and after returning home at around 11.30 pm, she looked very tense and locked herself inside her room. “We wanted to wish her at midnight, but didn’t as she did not seem to be in a good mood,” Santosh told Hindustan Times.

At around 1.30 am, the family heard a loud noise.

They saw that the door to Motherao’s room was broken and Manish was holding Motherao’s body in his arms. Sushil Dubey, a friend of Manish was also present.

Family members questioned why Manish broke opened the door instead of informing them and how he came from his residence in Mira Road and entered their house without the family’s knowledge.

The deceased’s family alleges that Motherao and Manish had started a finance business since last few years, in which Motherao invested about Rs 9 lakh.

“The money could be the reason behind the murder,” continues Santosh. “She must have been smothered to death”

Sub-Inspector Pritam Vanikar said, “We are waiting the post-mortem report as it will clear the cause of the death.”

The police said Manish has denied the allegation made by the deceased’s family and said that he had gone there to wish her on her birthday.