Delhi Professor Plotted Wife's Murder, Nephew, Driver Helped: Police

A Delhi University assistant professor was arrested today for criminal conspiracy in his wife's murder at their residence in Delhi's West Sant Nagar, police said.  

The woman, identified as Pinki, was allegedly strangled and electrocuted by a 31-year-old man on Monday. The accused, Rakesh, had been living in the same house as the couple for three years and had claimed that Ms Pinky had "evicted him from the house".

Cops said they found the suspect, Rakesh, "sitting nervously at a roadside" in northwest Delhi's Burari area on Monday. When a policeman approached him, he confessed that he had killed a woman, who he said, was like his "sister-in-law". The police then went to the woman's house in Sant Nagar and found the body.

After further interrogation of Mr Rakesh, police also arrested the victim's husband and his nephew. The police identified them as Virender Kumar, an ad-hoc assistant professor, and his nephew Govinda.

Mr Kumar got married to Ms Pinki in February 2021. Mr Kumar told the police that he was miffed with his wife as they used to regularly fight over trivial issues.

He then hatched a plan to eliminate her, and roped in Rakesh and Govinda for the same, a senior police officer said.

According to the police, Mr Rakesh said that Mr Kumar had allowed him to stay on the top floor of his house around three years ago. As Mr Rakesh was unemployed, Mr Kumar also lent him his car so that he could make a living.

He also claimed that he had murdered Ms Pinki at the behest of her husband.