Sleeping pills, electrocution, staged robbery: Wife, her friend held for builder’s murder in South Delhi

On Monday morning, the body of 55-year-old builder Munna Lal was discovered at his residence in South Delhi's Sangam Vihar. His wife, Manju (45), reported a disturbance, discovering him injured and deceased. Manju claimed a robber had entered the home, committed a crime, and taken Munna's life, leaving her distraught. A case was filed and a thorough investigation initiated.

However, the evidence suggested that Munna's death was orchestrated rather than an accidental robbery. CCTV footage revealed a masked individual entering the property around 1:45 am and departing at 3:15 am. The victim's family members also had frequent communication with a man named Chaman, later identified from CCTV and phone records.

Police questioned Manju and Chaman, who were subsequently apprehended. The authorities claimed the murder was not one of passion, but a meticulously planned incident. Manju had enlisted Chaman's help, offering him Rs 5 lakh for the task, and even paid Chaman Rs 20,000 on the night of the murder. The couple had been married for 22 years and had frequent disagreements, especially over financial matters.

Manju's plan involved sending her son to the Kanwar Yatra, which she deemed as part of her strategy. On August 9th, Chaman administered sleeping pills to Manju, ground them into Munna's food, and the two allegedly attacked and killed him. The crime scene was then cleaned to conceal and destroy any evidence. To give the impression of a robbery, the house was left messy.

Chaman's friend, Kishan, had also been implicated for allegedly hiding Chaman. Police are still investigating to determine Kishan's possible involvement. Police concluded that the motive behind the crime was financial discord and an extramarital affair Manju had taken part in. They emphasized that the detailed planning and execution of the crime indicated premeditation, further investigation is ongoing.