The Kolkata Police on Thursday arrested three persons in connection with the murder of an elderly couple at Bhawanipore here on Monday.
Businessman Ashok Shah and his wife Rashmita Shah were murdered at their flat on 73/A Harish Mukherjee Road on Monday afternoon.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said that the murder was “pre-planned” over a dispute of repayment of a loan. The three arrested have been identified as Subodh Kumar Singh, 45, Jatin Mehta, 44, and Ratnakar Nath, 39. All three are residents of Liluah in Howrah.
“Mr. Shah had given a loan to a close relative. There was dispute over the repayment of loan. The accused, including the relative, came to house and there was discussion about the loan when one of them started stabbing Mr. Shah,” the commissioner said. The relative whom the police described as the ‘mastermind’ in the crime has not been arrested so far. Mr. Goyal assured that the ‘mastermind’, whose identity has not been disclosed, would be arrested soon.
According to the police, Mr. Shah had given a loan to the brother of the relative who passed away due to complications related to COVID-19. The loan of ₹1 lakh was given in 2019. The arrested accused were neighbours of the ‘mastermind’ who had promised them money. After the crime, the accused looted cash and other valuables from the residence of the Shah family.
The police said the “mastermind” had harboured a deep malice towards Ashok. During the discussion on Monday, Rashmita brought water for the accused. There were several stab marks and even a bullet injury on one of the victims.
The murders in a high security area, close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in broad daylight had sent shockwaves in the city. Ms. Banerjee met the members of the bereaved family on Wednesday.
