Kanpur murder case: Police tell court son asked accused to implicate wife

Kanpur Police have told a court that Subrat Minocha asked an accused attacker to implicate his wife, Shalu, in the murder of his father, businessman Vineet Minocha. In a four-point response, police have challenged statements and other evidence that had linked Shalu to the killing.

Shalu remains in jail. Police are seeking an early hearing on her release, but have not formally given her a clean chit. The court has yet to decide on her custody.

Vishal Gautam, a former employee accused of carrying out the attack, had claimed Shalu asked him to kill Vineet. Police now say Subrat told Vishal to make that allegation.

A security guard had said Shalu arranged Vishal’s entry into the residential complex under the name “Shubham”. According to police, Subrat asked her to use that name because Vineet disliked Vishal and he did not want his father to know Vishal was visiting. Investigators say Vishal had been called to bring glasses and a gajra.

Vishal had also claimed Shalu gave him a key to the house. Police say Subrat instead arranged for Vishal to have a duplicate made in Kanpur’s Gumti No. 5 area, then told him to blame Shalu.

The fourth point concerns calls between Vishal and Shalu on a new Jio number. Investigators say Subrat gave Shalu the number and told Vishal to call her on it.

Subrat was arrested after police said he had initially blamed Shalu but later took responsibility for arranging his father’s murder. He has said he planned the killing months earlier amid disputes with Vineet over money and his father’s relationships with other women.

Investigators are examining the accounts given by Subrat, Shalu and Vishal against call records, CCTV footage and their movements on the day of the murder.- Ends