Abducted, killed after sharing property plan: Five held for Lucknow double murder

Amit Kumar Anand, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lucknow, said the accused had confessed to the crime.

Reported missing, car spotted on CCTV

According to the police, on September 29, Pawan’s nephew, Sanjay Garg, filed a missing person’s complaint, saying Pawan had left his house in his car around 8 pm on September 27 without informing anyone and had not returned.

The next day, the police recovered Pawan’s car in Sitapur district. While examining CCTV footage, toll plaza records, etc., the police spotted Pawan’s car alongside another vehicle. The vehicle registration details helped them identify its occupants, Shivanand Mishra, Station House Officer, Madiyaon police station, said. All five accused were allegedly in the car.

The police later registered a kidnapping case.

On October 2, all five accused were arrested from Bhithauli crossing, the police said.

Abduction, assault, and a ransom demand

During the investigation, the police learnt that Pawan knew Nitin, who is involved in the property business. Pawan allegedly told Nitin that he had around Rs 60 lakh and was looking to purchase land, and asked him to show a suitable property. On learning of the money, the accused allegedly hatched a plan to abduct Pawan and demand a ransom.

According to the police, on September 27, Nitin allegedly called Pawan and asked him to come to a place in the Madiyaon area. When Pawan arrived along with Vishwakarma, they were allegedly asked to go to New Fauji Dhaba in Lucknow’s Itaunja area. Nitin and his associates also joined them. The group drank alcohol and ate dinner, after which an argument allegedly broke out between Pawan and Nitin.

The accused then allegedly forced Pawan and Vishwakarma into a vehicle and took them to an under-construction house belonging to Nitin in Itaunja, where they were held captive in separate rooms, the police said. The accused allegedly demanded Rs 50 lakh from Pawan as ransom. Meanwhile, Nitin reportedly took Pawan’s car and parked it at a dhaba in Sitapur, before returning.

The police said the accused allegedly assaulted the two men again, repeating their demand for Rs 50 lakh. Pawan refused, saying he had no money.

According to the police, on September 28, realising Pawan would not pay the ransom and fearing that releasing him and his friend would lead to the police being informed, the accused allegedly strangled both men using ropes. Later that evening, they allegedly transported the bodies to Chalhari Ghat and threw them off a bridge into the water.

The police said they have recovered Pawan’s chain, ring, driving licence, photocopy of his Aadhaar card and a bank statement. Two cars allegedly used in the crime have also been seized.