3 min readNew DelhiSep 27, 2023 07:44 AM IST
First published on: Sep 27, 2023 at 05:02 AM IST
“It has been a long wait… we were threatened for years after the murders. Despite police evidence, the trial was long with multiple people being examined and several delays. I was scared for my parents and children, we have been living under security cover and want our lives to go back to normal now.” For Amit Singh, the murders of his younger brother Kuldeep and wife Monika 13 years ago continue to hang heavy.
In 2010, the honour killing of the couple, as well as another woman, by Monika’s brother Ankit Chaudhary and his three associates had left the Capital shaken. The reason: The women had married outside their caste. On September 12, a Delhi court convicted Ankit, Mandeep and their associates, Nakul Khari and Rakesh Nagar, in the case.
It was in 2006 that Kuldeep, a Rajput, went against his family’s wishes and married his childhood friend Monika, a Gujjar. Police said Monika’s family too was humiliated and dishonoured by their inter-caste relationship. The couple had shifted out of Ashok Vihar, fearing for their safety, but returned in 2010. On June 20, the same year, Monika was found dead in her rented accommodation while Kuldeep’s body was recovered from a car — they were shot dead.
Police said Ankit and Mandeep Nagar not only killed the couple but also Mandeep’s sister Shobha, who had also eloped with her boyfriend, to “teach the women a lesson”.
While convicting the accused, Additional Sessions Judge Babru Bhan said, “The creature of illusionary honour and hatred was again awakened” when Shobha and Khushboo (Mandeep’s sisters) eloped with their boyfriends. However, Shobha returned later. The community felt the women followed in the footsteps of Kuldeep and Monika and decided to “set an example so nobody dares to repeat the same conduct in future”, said the judge.
The court looked at the motive, statement of the deceased to a witness alleging threats from the accused, behaviour of the accused, and recovery of the murder weapon. “Their conduct before and after commission of the crime, motive, borrowing of car, recovery of keys of car, recovery of weapon and ballistic report are sufficient to conclusively indicate towards their guilt,” said the judge.
The court noted that the deceased “were eliminated to compensate the harm caused by them to the reputation of family and community”. The motive of the murder therefore was the honour of the family. It also relied on Kuldeep’s declaration to a witness, Amit Singh, that the accused threatened him saying, “It all started because of you, and you shall have to face the consequences”. The alleged threat was made days before the murders.
The accused had also absconded after the murder. The court said Ankit was not at the hospital during his sister’s death. “This conduct of accused Ankit and Mandeep would be relevant against them under… the Indian Evidence Act as a strong indication of their culpability in the murder of Kuldeep, Monika and Shobha,” noted the court.
The court observed that Rakesh helped the other accused flee from police and arranged a room for them at Hotel Sunrise in Mussoorie. The fourth associate helped by destroying evidence.
The matter is now listed on October 7 to decide the quantum of punishment.
Kuldeep and Monika were killed by the latter’s brother 
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