UP horror: To escape jail, ‘rapist’ kills friend, burns body in car to fake own death

MEERUT: To escape punishment in a rape case registered against him in Dehradun in 2024, a man, along with his brother and two associates, on Feb 24 allegedly killed another man, put the body in his car and set the vehicle on fire in Saharanpur to fake his own death.

Saharanpur police on Tuesday said the main accused, Arjun Singh, 25, his brother Vijay Sagar, 27, and two associates were arrested. Incidentally, the vehicle was under Arjun's name and when police started questioning his brother Vijay, he spilled the beans.

SSP Abhinandan Singh, said, "Once ‘missing' Arjun was found ‘alive', he told police that in 2024 he used to work as a driver at a parlour in Dehradun where a female employee filed a rape case against him. He, thereafter, spent about six months in prison, where he met co-accused Mohd Sarik, 24."

The SSP said when the case went into trial, Arjun's lawyer told him that he could face life imprisonment. Terrified by the thought of going back to jail, Arjun decided to fake his own death, SSP Singh said.

The main accused told police that during the lockdown he used to lend money on interest. In one such instance, he gave around Rs 1.70 lakh to a man from Mohammadpur Kandhela, identified by his first name Rohit. When Rohit failed to repay, Arjun started holding a grudge against him.

Arjun, along with his brother Vijay, Robin Kumar (25) and Sarik, then plotted to kill Rohit and burn the body in a car and "fake his own death". "On Feb 24, they strangled Rohit with his muffler, left the body in the car, loosened a wheel bolt to make it look like a car crash and then set the vehicle on fire with petrol. Arjun suffered minor burns while carrying out the plan," SSP Singh said.

After the incident, Arjun fled to Dehradun, where he trimmed his hair to change his look. He also arranged a SIM card under a different name and instructed his brother to file a missing person complaint to make it appear that he had died in the "fire".

Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !