Varanasi: The Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh, in a joint operation with a team from Mumbai Police, today arrested the prime suspect in the double murder case of well-known painter Hema Upadhaya and her lawyer Harish Bhambani. The arrests were carried out in Varanasi.
The accused arrested today has been identified as Shivkumar alias Sadhu, a resident of Badagaon in Varanasi. "Mumbai police shared some information on the basis of which Shiv Kumar alias Sadhu Rajbhar, a resident of Badagaon, Varanasi, has been detained by UP STF," IG (law and order) A Satish Ganesh told reporters here.
According to a senior official of the UP Police STF, Shivkumar had fled to Varanasi soon after the murder.
A number of documents and items connecting him to the murder have also been recovered from the accused. “We have found 11 cards – six are Hema's and five belong to Harsh - in Shivkumar's possession. These include ATM cards, club memberships and shopping cards. Visiting cards of Hema and Harsh have also been recovered from him,” Sujit Pandey, Inspector General, STF, told India TV.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Shivkumar used to work as a sculptor and Hema had allegedly not paid him some of his dues. As per latest reports, Mumbai Police will be taking him to Mumbai tomorrow where he will be presented before court.
Police are also ascertaining whether Kumar was the last person to call Hema.Three suspects were detained in Mumbai in connection with the case yesterday.
The bodies of Hema and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani were found packed inside cardboard boxes lying near a drain in suburban Mumbai on Saturday.
(With PTI inputs)
