Businessman Vineet Minocha was found dead in his first-floor flat at Ratan Orbit complex in Kalyanpur on September 6; he was stabbed 26 times
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‘Take my wife’s name if…’: New twist in Kanpur businessman murder case as son emerges as mastermind (Image: X.com)
The murder investigation of pharmaceutical businessman Vineet Minocha has taken a major turn after police arrested his 32-year-old son, Subrat, accusing him of allegedly arranging his father’s killing and trying to shift the blame onto his wife, ShaluPolice say Subrat was arrested late Wednesday after his questioning and a fresh statement from Vishal Gautam, a former employee of VineetThey are now checking whether Subrat played a key role in the conspiracy.
Vineet, 63, was found dead inside his flat at the Ratan Orbit complex in Kanpur’s Kalyanpur area on September 5He had suffered 26 stab woundsPolice had earlier arrested Shalu and two suspected attackers, Vishal Gautam and Raj Kishore, in connection with the case.
Hitman allegedly names Subrat
According to Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal, Vishal told investigators that Subrat had asked him to kill his father and allegedly offered him Rs 6 lakh for the jobVishal also allegedly told police that Subrat instructed him to take Shalu’s name if the killers were caught.
Police are now comparing these claims with phone records, CCTV footage and other evidence before drawing conclusions about the exact roles of the accused.
The latest development is significant because Shalu had earlier been treated as the main accused in the murder investigationPolice had alleged that she was involved in planning the killingHowever, they have not given a clean chit to ShaluHer role remains under investigation.
Subrat initially blamed his wife
During questioning, Subrat initially accused his wife of being behind the murderHis version reportedly changed as investigators questioned him and confronted him with other evidence and the statements of the accusedPolice later arrested him for his alleged involvement in the murder conspiracy.
Police also reportedly brought Subrat and Shalu face-to-face during questioningShalu became emotional during the confrontation, while Subrat reportedly remained mostly silent and turned away from her, according to local reportsShalu has continued to maintain that she had no role in Vineet’s murder.
Six calls made on the day of murder
The police investigation has also focused on the phone records of Subrat and VishalEarlier, investigators found that Vishal had contacted Subrat six times from a newly purchased SIM card around the period of the murderThis digital trail had already put Subrat under the police scanner before his arrest.
Investigators have also found around 258 calls between Subrat and Vishal, while Vishal and Shalu had around 28 calls, according to police.
Vishal had also purchased a new SIM card on September 3, just two days before Vineet was killedPolice said five calls made from that number were made only to SubratPolice Commissioner Raghubir Lal had earlier questioned why Vishal would use a new number to contact Subrat if Shalu was allegedly the main conspirator.
Investigators have obtained the call detail records of seven mobile numbers linked to Subrat, Shalu and VishalThe records cover the period from May 1 to September 6, the day Vineet’s body was found.
CCTV footage also under scanner
According to investigators, both initially said they did not recognise Vishal when shown his CCTV imageHowever, Shalu reportedly identified him when the image was shown to her againThe CCTV system at Subrat’s house has also come under scrutinyPolice found that the cameras had reportedly not been working since July 22.
Investigators are now checking whether the CCTV system stopped working because of a technical problem or whether the cameras were deliberately switched off.
Duplicate key, blood-stained clothes recovered
Investigators have also reported recovering a duplicate key to the flat from an open plotBlood-stained clothes allegedly linked to Raj Kishore were also recovered from Kanpur Central, according to Hindustan Times.
These recoveries are being examined along with the statements of the accused as police try to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Was money behind the murder?
According to investigators, Subrat was allegedly under financial pressure and had debts of more than Rs 20 lakhPolice are checking whether these liabilities had any connection with the alleged conspiracy.
Investigators are also looking into a dispute between Vineet and his sonReports said Vineet had reportedly reprimanded Subrat after allegedly finding that some items from his office had been sold without his permission and the money kept by his son.
Police are also examining claims that Subrat was worried about his father’s property and his relationships with other womenThese aspects are still part of the investigation.
How the murder case began
Vineet was found dead in his bedroom after his family returned home in the early hours following the murder.
Initial police investigations focused on the possibility of an insider being involved because there were reportedly no clear signs of forced entryCCTV footage and other digital evidence later became important parts of the investigation.
Police subsequently arrested Shalu along with Vishal and Raj Kishore.
Investigators had initially alleged that the murder was planned in a way that could make Vineet’s death appear naturalAccording to earlier reports, the suspected attackers panicked after Vineet noticed them and allegedly attacked him with knives.
The case has now taken another turn with Subrat’s arrest.
