Maharashtra: Couple Arrested in Madhya Pradesh for 16-Year-Old Real Estate Agent's Murder in Palghar

A couple has been arrested from Madhya Pradesh for their alleged involvement in the murder of a real estate agent in Maharashtra's Palghar district 16 years ago, an official said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

The accused, Dharmendra Ramashankar Soni (54) and his wife Kiran Dharmendra Soni (50), were taken into custody from MP's Indore district, he said, reported PTI.

According to the police, a property agent was killed in April 2009 in Nalasopara East, on the outskirts of Mumbai, after a dispute over brokerage money. Subsequently, a case was registered against four persons, including the Soni couple, reported PTI.

While one of the accused was arrested, the other three remained at large. The Crime Branch Cell-3 of Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar police recently reopened the case and tracked down the couple to Mhow village in MP's Indore district, said senior inspector Shahuraj Ranavre, reported PTI.

The couple was brought to Nalasopara, and a local court remanded them in police custody till December 22, he said, adding that the fourth accused is still absconding.

In another case, a 30-year-old man was booked after his female relative allegedly committed suicide inside their house, a Mumbai police official said on Thursday, reported PTI. The death of the 45-year-old woman was a fallout of their illicit relationship, he added.

The incident took place in Pratiksha Nagar in central Mumbai and the accused has been identified as Saraswat Arvind Yadav, the official said, reported PTI. The woman ended her life at their shared residence on Saturday evening. The incident came to light after her daughter came home from work. She is the complainant in the case. She alerted neighbours and also heard the voice of her kin inside, who told her the room could be opened only from outside.

The woman was rushed to hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Our probe has found the deceased and her kin had an illicit relationship and she wanted him to marry her. She and her family had been staying with this relative for the past 17 years. The complainant and her father used to go to work every morning and would return in the evening. The deceased was working as a freelance market research analyst.

Yadav was booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder because he was inside the house but did not stop the woman from ending her life, nor did he rush her to hospital, the Wadala Tuck Terminal police station official said.