In a chilling case of premeditated murder for financial gain, Mukesh Kumar Mehta, a 30-year-old resident of Bandarbela, Hazaribagh, has been arrested for allegedly killing his 23-year-old wife, Sevanti Kumari, and staging the incident as a road accident to claim a Rs75 lakh insurance payout.
The couple had married just four months earlier, on June 1, and shortly before the incident, Mukesh had taken out a life insurance policy in Sevanti’s name, with a Rs75 lakh accidental death benefit.
On the night of October 9, police received reports of a couple lying injured along the Padama-Itkhori stretch of NH-33. Upon arrival, they found Sevanti deceased and Mukesh with superficial injuries. Initially, the incident appeared to be an accident.
However, suspicions arose due to inconsistencies in Mukesh’s account and his behavior during the funeral rites. Further investigation revealed that the motorcycle involved had no damage typical of an accident, and Mukesh’s injuries were minimal.
During interrogation, Mukesh confessed to the crime, stating that he had beaten Sevanti with helmets, causing her to bleed, and then strangled her. He staged the scene to resemble an accident to collect the insurance money.
Mukesh has been charged with murder and fraud and is currently in judicial custody. The case highlights the dangers of exploiting insurance policies for personal gain.
