Daughter-in-law plots to kill BJP leader’s sister
NEW DELHI: A sordid family drama was played out at the house of senior BJP leader Harsh Vardhan's sister after she was allegedly tricked to consume an overdose of sleeping pills by her daughter-in-law and dumped outside AIIMS in an unconscious state. The daughter-in-law wanted to eliminate her to usurp property, a police officer said.
The accused, Reena, 28, was arrested following investigations into a missing person report lodged by her on August 24. Reena is married to the son of Harsh Vardhan's sister, Asha. A case of attempt to murder has been lodged against her. Speaking to TOI, BJP leader Harsh Vardhan said his sister is recovering and thanked doctors at AIIMS for their care and treatment.
The police claimed the accused had a very clear motive - to ensure the victim died at a spot where she could be identified easily for a death certificate - a must for transfer of property.
"Reena tricked Asha to have milk laced with sleeping pills. After she fell unconscious, she rented a car and took her to various hospitals before abandoning her near the AIIMS mortuary," the official said. A security guard at AIIMS, who saw the woman lying unconscious, took her inside and got her admitted, he said.
Police said Reena rented a car and took her mother-in-law to various hospitals before abandoning her near AIIMS. She even fabricated a story behind the mysterious disappearance of her mother-in-law, the police said.
DCP (east) Prabhakar said, "On August 27, Reena claimed she was going out to visit her younger son Prateek Singhal, who stays at Paschim Vihar. Reena said her mother-in-law had left in an autorickshaw. But, a probe revealed that Asha was last seen being bundled into a Wagon-R by her daughter-in-law and a local tailor,'' said Prabhakar.
Investigations revealed that Asha's mobile number was found switched off and its last location was found to be Anand Vihar. A preliminary probe hinted at foul play and accordingly a case of kidnapping was lodged.
"Reena's contradictory statements and the fact that she had been earlier been involved in a case of drugging a neighbour brought her under the police scanner. Reena was subjected to sustained interrogation and she confessed to have drugged her mother-in-law with an intent to kill and grab her property,'' said Prabhakar. "We are investigating into the role of all other members of the house at that moment, including the tailor, taxi driver and servants,'' he added.
Reena told the police that her mother-in-law had recently sold a house at Anand Vihar and reinvested a part of the sale proceeds to buy a house in Ghaziabad. She said the final transaction was to materialize on October 3 this year when the major part of the consideration would have been delivered to Asha.
"Reena felt if her mother-in-law is murdered, she would become the beneficiary of at least 50 % of the money. She procured a sleep-inducing drug, Libotryp, on a prescripttion issued in her name from Shanti Mukund Hospital. Asha was administered about 70 tablets laced with milk on August 24,'' said the police officer. And then she began taking a round of hospitals with her mother-in-law.
Reena was married to Asha's son, Parag Singhal, 11 years ago and has one daughter from the marriage. She hails from Ambala and had studied up to Class 12 at Chandigarh. "Her husband is physically challenged and suffers from poor vision. Reena is a homemaker and also teaches western dance and organizes events featuring western dances across the city,'' said Prabhakar.
Reena Singhal thereafter hailed a Wagon-R vehicle bearing registration no. DL-2CAN-2186 from one Khan Travels being operated by one Shakeel Ahmad from Ganesh Nagar-II in Shakarpur in east Delhi. The accused took the help of Naresh (tailor), her maid servant and the driver of the vehicle in bundling off her mother-in-law into the taxi and took her around several hospitals such as IBHAS (Shahdara), G.T.B. Hospital (Shahdara) and Mohan Hospital(Sahibabad) but could not dump her because of the presence of large number of people around the main gates of these hospitals.
