NEW DELHI: A long-standing family dispute over property led to the murder of a 67-year-old man, allegedly planned by his son with the help of the family’s servant, an official said on Thursday, adding that, the body was found in a gunny bag and in a decomposed state, officials said.
According to cops, Bharadwaj’s son, Love Bharadwaj, was reportedly distressed over the possibility of being evicted from the family home due to his love marriage after his father sought legal intervention.
Fearful of losing his residence, Love conspired to kill his father. “Bharadwaj had left for Narela on his scooter on January 28 but never returned. During the investigation, it was found that he was last seen with his long-time servant, Jitender. A team interrogated multiple people and discovered that Bharadwaj had been visiting a rented flat where Jitender lived. Jitender and his son Vishal were found missing, and Vishal’s phone was switched off,” DCP (Outer North) Nidhin Valsan said.
Police traced a number linked to Vishal, which was active on social media. Using technical surveillance, Vishal was nabbed, and during questioning, he confessed to the crime. He revealed he, along with his father Jitender, had murdered Bharadwaj on January 28.
Following his father’s orders, Vishal disposed of the body by stuffing it in a gunny bag and throwing it into a nearby drain. The police recovered the decomposed body at the location identified by Vishal.
During interrogation, Vishal also exposed Bharadwaj’s son. “Love Bharadwaj was the mastermind behind the murder. He allegedly plotted his father’s killing as he feared eviction from their parental home. The victim had earlier filed an application with the District Magistrate under the Senior Citizens’ Protection Act, seeking to evict Love and his family. Love, who had a love marriage, believed his father favoured his sisters and was determined to remove him,” the DCP said.
Jitender, who was in significant debt, was offered money to carry out the murder. Vishal disclosed that a few days before the crime, Love had paid Jitender Rs 35,000 as an advance.
Love and Vishal have been arrested, police said, adding, efforts are underway to trace Jitender, who is at large.