He contacted through Facebook a gang from Bihar named ‘Ajit King’ group for kidnapping and killing his father, promising to pay Rs 1 lakh for it.
According to police, a man in Madhya Pradesh allegedly paid a killer through Facebook to kill his 59-year-old father in exchange for money. According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Singh Chandel, the victim, Mahesh Gupta, was shot and killed on the intervening night of July 21–22 while he was asleep in a room of his home in Pichhore town, about 75 km from the district headquarters.
According to him, the police have detained three people in connection with the case: Ankit Gupta, 32, Anjit Singh, the alleged murderer from Bihar, and Nitin Lodhi, Ankit’s friend.
The official claimed that because Gupta’s son was sleeping on the ground floor of his home when his father was being shot to death on the third floor, the police suspected him of being involved in the crime. Ankit said during his questioning and subsequent investigation into the matter that he was upset with his father because the latter would withhold money from him because of Ankit’s alcoholism, engagement in gambling, and other illegal activities.
Ankit conducted an online search, and using the knowledge gained, he made contact with the Bihar-based “Ajit King” group over Facebook, offering them Rs 1 lakh in exchange for kidnapping and killing his father, the officer claimed. He enlisted the assistance of his pal Lodhi in the crime’s planning as well.
Later, Ankit and Lodhi met Singh at the Jhansi train station and made arrangements for him to stay in the Labheda Tiraha neighbourhood of Shivpuri district. Ankit and Lodhi informed Singh that the murderous plot had been abandoned because they were unable to secure the necessary funds when he demanded that they pay the money or inform him of it.
Ankit revealed the plan to kill his father to the assassin when he insisted on being paid, the SP claimed. A country-made pistol and the cartridges used in the crime are said to be provided by Lodhi.
Ankit, according to him, permitted the murderer to enter the home at about 2 am on the intervening nights of July 21 and 22, asking his wife and daughter to sleep in another room on the ground floor.
Ankit’s wife heard a gunshot and woke up, but he convinced her it was the sound of a lightning strike. The killer fled after killing Gupta, and Ankit locked the house from inside.
According to the official, Ankit informed the police and neighbours that his father had been murdered early in the morning by some unidentified person.
The cops added that Gupta lived with his son and that his wife had passed away approximately 20 years ago. After his other son Anil died, Gupta recently received compensation of Rs 1 crore. According to the official, Anil Gupta, who served in the Army, allegedly committed suicide. Additionally, the official claimed that Ankit was interested in Gupta’s pension, which he used to receive.
According to him, Ankit and Nitin Lodhi were detained in Pichhore, while Singh was detained at the Gorakhpur train station in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
The official stated that they have been charged under the appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code and that additional investigation into the issue is ongoing.
