Delhi murder case: How blackmail plot over intimate clips led to UPSC aspirant's death

Delhi murder case

A whirlwind romance that began with a job interview in Noida ended in a staged inferno in a Timarpur flat, with Delhi Police unravelling a complex tale of blackmail and alleged murder.

According to a TOI report, the lives of Ramkesh Meena, 32 and Amrita Chauhan, 21, first intersected this May. An instant connection led to a coffee date and the swift exchange of numbers, culminating in the couple moving in together in Delhi by August. During their relationship, they filmed intimate moments, unaware these personal clips would later become a central motive in a fatal plot.

The couple’s idyll shattered in early September when Amrita’s former boyfriend, Sumit Kashyap, re-entered her life. As reported by TOI, police state that Amrita and Sumit, both social media enthusiasts from Moradabad, appeared to rekindle their past romance.

Ramkesh who had been preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) entrance exam, in turn, became increasingly distant, while Amrita’s social media feed presented a cheerful facade, featuring numerous reels lip-syncing to Bollywood tracks.

In a desperate attempt to win her back, Ramkesh began sending Amrita the clips of their past intimacy, allegedly blackmailing her in the process. An enraged Amrita demanded he hand over the hard disk containing the videos. When he refused, a sinister plan was set in motion.

Amrita subsequently moved in with Sumit at a rented house in Chhatarpur. Police reportedly said that Sumit then enlisted his friend, Sandeep Kumar. Their initial scheme was to stage a robbery at Ramkesh’s residence to recover the incriminating hard disk.

On the night of October 6, the plan turned deadly. A masked Sumit and Sandeep forced their way into the Timarpur house. While the precise sequence of events remains unclear, police have established that Ramkesh was tied and gagged. A scuffle ensued and the trio allegedly choked him for too long while trying to extract the hard disk’s location, resulting in his death.

Faced with the grim outcome, the three allegedly decided to stage an accident. Amrita, who has an educational background in forensic science, provided key input, while Sumit, a gas cylinder distributor by trade, handled the fuel.

They reportedly poured ghee, oil and wine over Ramkesh’s body, turned on a gas cylinder and ignited it with a lighter before leaving the flat and locking it from the outside through a mesh. The subsequent cylinder explosion sparked a fire that severely burned the body.

The cover-up initially appeared successful, with police suspecting an air conditioner blast had caused the fire. However, the investigation took a sharp turn after officers reviewed CCTV footage showing masked individuals leaving the property and analysed mobile phone locations, leading them to the suspects.

During interrogation, Amrita and Sumit reportedly blamed each other for the tragic turn of events. All three individuals are now in judicial custody.