Delhi University assistant professor arrested for wife's murder

The accused is an assistant professor in Delhi University and posted in Ramjas College.

Image for representation

A Delhi University assistant professor and his nephew have been arrested for criminal conspiracy in connection with his wife's murder at their West Sant Nagar residence in Burari, police said on Wednesday.

The accused have been identified as Virender Kumar (38) and Govind (29), they said. One accused person, identified as Rakesh, was arrested on Monday, police said.

Kumar is an assistant professor in Delhi University and posted in Ramjas College. Govind works in a factory in Samaypur Badli, police added.

Rakesh (31), a driver, allegedly strangled 32-year-old Pinky to death and electrocuted her when she was alone at her home in West Sant Nagar in Burari on Monday, police said.

Rakesh confessed to the crime while police were patrolling in Burari area on Monday evening. The police recovered Pinky's body from her home on the fourth floor of the building at West Sant Nagar.

During interrogation, Rakesh initially disclosed that he alone had killed Pinky as she asked her husband Kumar to be ousted from the house. Rakesh was repeatedly changing his version.

Police scanned around 300 CCTV cameras.

Upon interrogation, Rakesh disclosed that along with Kumar and Govind, he planned to kill her around a fortnight ago, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said.

As per the plan, Rakesh was to surrender before police and Kumar shall take care of his family and also get him out of jail.

Kumar got married to Pinky on February 16 this year. During the marriage ceremony, Pinky's family members had given a cheque of Rs 5 lakh as gift, but it bounced and he felt cheated, the DCP said.

Earlier, Kumar gave his taxi to Rakesh and a room to his family on the top floor of his house. Rakesh was not getting a salary every month and he had asked Kumar to give him a lump sum whenever in need, according to the police.

In August, Pinky came to Burari and asked her husband to send Rakesh out of the house and remove him from the job. She was not allowing any of the family members of Kumar to enter the house, police said.

She was also refusing to pay Rakesh his full salary, which was around Rs 3 lakh.

One electric wire used for strangling the victim, and two mobile phones of the accused have been recovered, they said.