Over a year prior to being charged with orchestrating the savage killing of her cohabiting partner, 21-year-old forensic science student Amrita Chauhan had been formally disowned by her family. On July 8, 2024, her parents published a newspaper advertisement officially severing ties with her, a copy of which has since been presented in court as supporting documentary evidence.
This revelation introduces an additional layer of complexity to the homicide of UPSC aspirant Ramkesh Meena, whose charred remains were discovered earlier this month within a burned-out apartment in north Delhi's Gandhi Vihar area. What was first thought to be an accidental blaze has now been exposed as a carefully orchestrated crime, purportedly devised by Amrita in collaboration with her previous boyfriend, Sumit Kashyap, and his associate Sandeep Kumar, both hailing from Moradabad.
Delhi Police reports indicate that Amrita, pursuing a BSc in Forensic Science, had been residing with Meena since May. The relationship deteriorated after she learned that he had covertly filmed her intimate videos and declined to erase them despite her multiple pleas. Infuriated and feeling deeply shamed, she sought assistance from Sumit, her former boyfriend, who consented to "teach him a lesson" and enlisted Sandeep in the scheme.
Police stated that the three individuals journeyed from Moradabad to Delhi during the night of October 5-6. CCTV recordings captured two masked men entering Meena's building, with a woman following shortly thereafter. At approximately 2:57 am, the woman, subsequently identified as Amrita, and one of the men were observed exiting. Moments later, a powerful explosion ripped through the apartment, leaving much of it in ruins.
Subsequent investigations determined that the explosion was intentionally set to conceal the killing. "The accused strangled Meena, poured ghee, oil, and alcohol on his body, and then opened a gas cylinder valve to set off the fire. They locked the flat from inside through a small hole in the gate to make it look accidental," said DCP (North) Raja Banthia.
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He further noted that Amrita's forensic education aided her in devising the concealment strategy and attempting to deceive the investigators.
The fire was originally presumed to stem from an air-conditioner explosion, but the burn patterns and CCTV footage quickly aroused doubts. Amrita's cellphone location data and call logs positioned her in close proximity to the site, resulting in her detention on October 18. In the course of questioning, she admitted to the offence and detailed the manner in which she and her co-conspirators murdered Meena and ignited the apartment. Authorities subsequently apprehended Sumit on October 21 and Sandeep on October 23, seizing a hard disk, trolley bag, two mobile phones, and Meena's shirt from their custody.
According to investigators, Amrita's interest in crime web series, combined with her scholarly expertise, instilled in her the assurance to execute what she considered an impeccable murder. However, digital proof, along with her personal admission, shattered that notion.
In the meantime, Amrita's family have declined to provide any statements, insisting that they had cut off all connections with her well before the murder occurred.
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