In Delhi Lodge Murder Case, Honey-Trap Angle And A "Sorry" Note

Over a week after a businessman was killed inside a lodge in Delhi's Safdarjung Enclave, police have arrested a 29-year-old woman in connection with the case. The accused, a resident of Panipat in Haryana, was part of a gang that honey-trapped people and looted them, the police said.

Usha, who went by several aliases, including Anjali, Nikki and Nikita, used to befriend people and take them to hotels, where they were robbed after being drugged.

The accused had used the same plan to rob the businessman, Deepak Sethi, who was found dead in his room in Baljeet Lodge with foaming near his mouth.

Police suspect that Deepak Sethi died of a drug overdose.

Deepak Sethi, 53, had checked in to the guest house with Usha at 9.30 pm on March 30. The woman left the room around 12.24 am with Rs 1,100 and jewellery, police said. She had left behind a handwritten note expressing regret over the incident.

During the probe, the police found suspicious numbers, including that of prime suspect in the victim's contact details. The number was issued on March 20 using fake documents, a police officer said.

The number was recharged in the Santgarh area on March 23. After reaching the location, the police discovered that a Nigerian national named Chide had recharged it, they said.

Chide told the police that the number belonged to Nikki alias Nikita -- a friend of his live-in partner Madhumita. Later, the police arrested the accused Usha from Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

During interrogations, it was found that Usha was in jail in 2022 in a case registered in Panipat. She became friends with Madhumita in prison and started staying together in Santgarh.

Madhumita, who knew Deepak Sethi, introduced him to Usha, the police said.

On March 30, Madhumita and Usha met Deepak Sethi near the metro station at Connaught Place. Later, he took Usha to Baljeet Lodge, the police said.

During the interrogation, Usha told the police that she did not intend to kill Mr Sethi. She also said that before leaving the room she had left a "sorry" note for Deepak Sethi, who she referred to as a "nice person".

"A handwritten note was also found near the dead body on which it was written 'you are a nice person. Sorry... sorry.... sorry understand that I was in a lot of compulsion, which made me do this to you. Extremely sorry'," said Ravindra Singh Yadav, the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime).

The police have recovered from Usha a bag taken from the hotel, Sethi's gold ring, his mobile phone and other belongings.