The lure of a flat in upscale Pedder Road proved irresistible to Rupal Gandhi, who plotted to kill her mother-and sister-in-law, investigators said after arresting the 44-year-old on Tuesday. While Rupal's 78-year-old mother-in-law was grievously hurt in the attack, carried out by the family's servant, her sister-in-law succumbed to her injuries.
Rupal wanted her mother-in-law's 2BHK flat, valued around Rs 15 crore, said a police officer. While the victims stayed on the first floor, Rupal and her husband Deepak (52), who have a 16-year-old son, lived on the third floor of the same building.
Rupal hatched the conspiracy and then blackmailed her domestic help, Ramchandra Gomane (23), forcing him to agree to carry out the murders. It was decided that he would kill the two women when Rupal went out partying with her husband on Sunday evening.
This was revealed when the Gamdevi police interrogated Gomane and discovered that Rupal had plotted the killing. The murder was discovered when Rupal and her husband Deepak returned from a family gathering.
Deepak found the outer safety door of his mother's flat on the first floor of Sunita Apartment in Sonmarg Housing Cooperative Society on Pedder Road locked, but the inner door was open. He rang the bell, but didn't get a response and used a duplicate key to enter. He found his 60-year-old unmarried sister, Ila Gandhi, and mother Champa, lying on the floor, their bodies covered with scratches and bruises.
Deepak called the police and rushed the two to Breach Candy Hospital, where Ila was pronounced dead. Champa was admitted to the ICU. Later, as Rupal helped her husband wrap up the hospital formalities, nobody suspected that she was behind the crime, an officer said.
DCP Anil Kumbhare said Gomane had worked with the Gandhis for the last seven years. Six months ago, he borrowed Rs 30,000 from Rupal for his wedding in Chiplun, Ratnagiri. He returned Rs 7,000 but failed to pay the remainder, said Kumbhare, adding that Gomane earned Rs 4,000 monthly. Last month, he went to Chiplun and did not return. Rupal called him and threatened to lodge a case against him with the police for not repaying the loan and told him to return immediately, Kumbhare added.
Gomane rejoined duty and promised that he would make the balance payment soon. On November 11, while her husband had gone to work, Rupal called Gomane and blackmailed him. She said she could waive his loan if he killed her mother- and sister-in-law. She promised to pay Rs 5,000 once the plot was executed, and gave him Rs 5,000 in advance, an officer added. She also instructed him not to use any weapon.
Around 3 pm on Sunday, Rupal and Deepak left for the party. At 4 pm, Gomane entered the flat after Ila opened the door. He kicked and punched her and later strangulated her. When her mother Champa came out of the bedroom, Gomane hit her and she fell to the floor, unconscious. Gomane thought Champa was also dead and left the place, an officer said.
Around 5pm, Gomane is learned to have made a call to Rupal's cellphone that the work was done. She returned from the party around 11.30 pm, when her husband discovered the body. Police have seized the instrument as evidence.
To avoid suspicion, Gomane did not leave the building. Police said Rupal even cooperated with them when she was asked to furnish details of her employees.
"We have arrested Gomane on charges of murder and attempt to murder and the court has remanded him in 10-day police custody," said senior inspector Sanjeev Diwadkar. On Tuesday night, Rupal was also arrested for murder and attempt to murder. Neither Gomane nor Rupal was booked for criminal conspiracy
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