3 held for murder of friends over money

Driven by anger over financial issues, three youths murdered their two friends and later spread a rumour that the victims drowned in Munak canal in Samaipur Badli area. The three have now been arrested, police said on Sunday.

Accused Sachin Dabas, 19, Shahrukh Ali, 20, and Deepak Sethi, 20, were arrested on Sunday for killing their friends Yash Nandal, 20, and Prince Dixit, 21, on June 7, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav.

Accused Shahrukh Ali had a taken a franchisee of a teleshopping company last year and Nandal had invested some money in the business, which did not last long, police said. Police said the business was closed due to losses and money invested by Nandal was not returned by Shahrukh Ali. 

Nandal and Dixit were putting pressure on Shahrukh Ali to return the money given by Nandal and to avoid giving the money back and end the daily harassment, Shahrukh Ali plotted their murder, police said.

Police had received a call regarding drowning of Yash and Prince in Munak canal near village Khera Kalan on June 7. Their bodies were recovered from the Yamuna in Wazirabad on June 9.

According to police, separate complaints were lodged by parents of the victims suspecting foul play in the unnatural deaths of their sons. An FIR was registered in the case with Samaipur Badli police station, Yadav said.

The case was transferred to the Crime Branch, which again interrogated accused Shah-rukh Ali, Dabas and Sethi, who confessed to their involvement in the crime, said the officer, adding they were arrested.

On June 7, the three accused as well as Dixit and Nandal planned to have liquor and take bath in Munak canal. They reached the canal after drinking liquor. They managed to get the victims sloshed before they reached the canal, where Shahrukh Ali kicked Dixit into the flowing water, police said.

Nandal jumped to save his friend but the other accused also jumped behind him and later they tied stones to the legs of Nandal and Dixit, and slammed their heads into the wall of the canal, police said.

Yadav said, the trio hid their belongings and cellphone and circulated a false story of drowning. They also tried to destroy evidence. During investigation, police recovered a pair of trousers and a SIM card of Nandal at the instance of the accused, he added.