Greater Noida twin murders: Businessman’s departmental store staffer a suspect in the case

Greater Noida: A day after a businessman, who ran a departmental store, and his wife were found murdered at their apartment in Greater Noida West, police on Thursday

Greater Noida: A day after a businessman, who ran a departmental store, and his wife were found murdered at their apartment in Greater Noida West, police on Thursday said that one of the staff working at the store is a suspect in the case. The suspect, identified as Aman, is at large after the incident, the police said.

The businessman, Vinay Kumar Gupta, 55, and his wife Neha, 50, were found killed on Wednesday morning at their ninth-floor apartment of Cherry County. Vinay owned a departmental store – Price Smart – in the society complex.

A bloodstained candle lampstand was found at the spot which may have been used in the attack, said the police.

The police said that they have scanned CCTV footage from the cameras installed at the premises of the condominium in which Aman was seen entering the flat and exiting within 15 minutes on Tuesday late night.

Love Kumar, additional commissioner of police, Gautam Budh Nagar, said that police are probing the case from all angles. “There are around 22 employees at Vinay’s departmental store. One of them is absconding since the incident took place. We suspect his role in the case,” he said.

On Wednesday, Vinay’s son Kush filed a complaint at Bisrakh police station. In the FIR, he stated that he and his father were at the departmental store on Tuesday night. “At 11:30pm, we closed the shop. My father returned to his residence in Cherry County while I went to my residence in Noida Sector 122. In the morning, I called my father but phone was not received. At 11:45am, I visited Cherry County and found my parents dead. They had received head injuries. The main door was open when I reached,” he said in the FIR.

Vinay’s body was found in the living room while Neha was found dead in the kitchen. A bread was also found over the oven which indicates the couple were preparing for dinner when the suspect attacked them, the police said.

When contacted, Kush said that the double murder was committed by one of his departmental store staff. “The police are investigating the matter. I can’t share more details at this moment,” he said.

A police official privy to the investigation said that the departmental store employee, Aman, had entered the society at 12:15am. Aman was wearing a blue shirt, and he got entry in the society as he used to visit his employer’s flat frequently, the official said, adding that the employer had scolded Aman over some issues a few days ago and following this the suspect had developed ill-will.

According to the police, the suspect stayed in the flat for 15 minutes and committed the crime and fled the spot. The police have also found the suspect’s bloodstained shoe from the spot.

Harish Cander, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Central, said that the police have questioned other workers at the departmental store, some society residents and security guards. “We have also questioned some people who had business relations with the victim. We have got some leads and we will soon arrest the suspect,” he said. Chander said that the police are also investigating if the victim had borrowed Rs 8-10 crore for his business.

The officials said that a Noida police team has left for Bihar to arrest the suspect, Aman.

Meanwhile, the Noida police in a press statement said that they have found negligence on part of the security agency of Cherry County. “Only society residents are permitted to use the gate which connects the society to the adjacent market. A scan of CCTV footage showed the security personnel allowed entry and exit of all people without a check. Also, the investigation found a CCTV camera in the lift was non-functional. The security agency has violated the guidelines of the Private Security Agencies Regulation Act, 2005. Love Kumar, additional commissioner of police, GB Nagar, has written a letter to ADG (Law and Order), UP Police, to cancel the security agency’s licence.”

According to the police, a post-mortem report revealed that the couple was murdered on Tuesday night. They had received about 10 injuries on their heads, the report said.

Vinay, a native of Saharanpur, had completed chartered accountancy, and shifted to Ghaziabad in 1990, said Amit Kishore Jain, Vinay’s school friend. “We had studied together till Class 12 in Saharanpur. We then came to Allahabad University for B.Com (H) in 1983. After graduation, he came to Delhi for CA while I stayed in Allahabad,” Jain said.

Jain said that in 2017, Vinay had also contested Nagar Nigam election. “But, he lost the election and shifted to Noida the same year,” he said. Vinay ran a jewellery shop and a garment shop in Ghaziabad.

In Noida, Vinay’s son Kush lives with wife and his grandparents in Sector 122. Vinay and his wife had shifted to Cherry County society two months ago since their departmental store was in the complex. Kush works at the same store while his elder brother lives in the US, the police said.