DU student's murder: Police questions her lover's father

New Delhi: Police on Tuesday questioned the father of Naveen Khatri, who allegedly murdered his lover and hid her body for five days in Model Town area here, as the victim's father met Delhi Police chief seeking transfer of the case to Crime Branch alleging that local police are trying to protect the accused's family.

"Khatri's father, Rajkumar, had disappeared after the incident. He has returned now and we questioned him today. So far, he has claimed that he did not know about his son's crime," a senior police official said, adding that Rajkumar was jailed in connection with a murder and released on parole a few months ago.

Also, a police team is looking for a man whose name was disclosed by the accused during interrogation.

The man, who is a native of Bihar and works as a labourer in northwest Delhi's Rajpura Gurmandi area, where families of both the victim and the accused live, is suspected to have helped Khatri in hiding the woman's body, the official said.

Arzoo Singh Chauhan (21), a student of Lakshmibai College under the University of Delhi, was strangulated to death allegedly by her lover, Naveen Khatri (23) who hid her body for five days and married another woman during the period.

The incident came to light on Sunday when Arzoo's body was found in a ventilation shaft at Khatri's residence in Gurmandi locality in Model Town area, following which Khatri was arrested.

Meanwhile, Arzoo's father today met Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi and handed him a letter accusing the local police of "playing dirty tricks" and requesting him to transfer the case to the Crime Branch.

In the letter, he urged the police chief to transfer the case to the Crime Branch of Delhi Police. And in case that was not possible, then let the CBI handle the probe, a police source said.

He charged that the local police are trying to protect the other members of Khatri family.

In his letter, he alleged that he had met the SHO of Model Town police station to file a report about his missing daughter and had they acted on time, they could have saved her.

He also said that the police only acted on February 6, the day Naveen was arrested while his family members were spared.

He alleged that the police let Khatri's family to destroy evidences, and that connived in the conspiracy.

Arzoo's father said he met the concerned DCP and shared details about the case, a claim which the latter denied.

Reacting to the allegations, DCP (Northwest) Vijay Singh said by the time the police received the missing complaint, the woman had already been murdered.

"The case is being investigated on its merit. Khatri was arrested the moment his crime came to light and no pre-planned conspiracy as such has emerged so far," Singh said.

At this juncture, there are not enough evidences against other members of the Khatri's family. We are still questioning people and investigation is underway, he added.