A chilling murder in West Delhi’s Uttam Nagar that was initially dismissed as a tragic electrocution has now taken a dark turn. 36-year-old Karan Dev, declared dead on July 13, was allegedly killed by his wife and cousin, in what police say was a premeditated murder staged to look like an accident.
The accused Karan’s wife Sushmita and his paternal cousin Rahul have been arrested by Delhi Police after damning evidence surfaced in the form of WhatsApp and Instagram chats detailing the murder plot. Both face charges of murder under relevant sections of the IPC.
Shocking Discovery After Cremation
According to Dwarka DCP Ankit Singh, Karan was brought dead to a hospital in Janakpuri, and Sushmita claimed he was electrocuted at home. “Though the family initially refused a post-mortem, we proceeded with it due to the unnatural circumstances,” Singh said.
It wasn’t until July 16, three days after the cremation, that Karan’s younger brother Kunal Dev stumbled upon disturbing chats between Sushmita and Rahul. The messages revealed a step-by-step discussion of the plan to kill Karan using sleeping pills and electric shock.
Premeditated Plot Revealed Through Chats
The chat records are horrifying. On the night of July 12, Sushmita allegedly spiked Karan’s dinner with 15 sleeping pills. When Karan did not fall unconscious as expected, she messaged Rahul:
“Check once how long it takes to die after taking the medicine. It’s been three hours… and no death yet. What should we do?” — Instagram Chat
Rahul replied:
“If you can’t figure anything out, give him a shock.”
Sushmita reportedly asked how to tie Karan’s hands to administer the shock, and Rahul instructed:
“With tape.”
Throughout the night, she updated him about Karan’s condition stating he was breathing slowly but still alive. Eventually, Karan was electrocuted while sedated, with the intention to make the death appear accidental.
Cover-Up and Arrest
After the act, Sushmita visited her in-laws and told them Karan had suffered an electric shock. The family rushed him to the hospital where he was declared dead.
Only after Kunal uncovered the chats did the family confront Sushmita, who confessed, claiming Rahul had been blackmailing her. “She told us after the cremation that she killed Karan because of Rahul,” said Neeru, Karan’s mother, as quoted by The Tribune.
Further interrogation of Rahul confirmed his involvement. Neighbours also reported seeing him near the couple’s apartment that morning, strengthening suspicions.
Investigation Ongoing
Police are now probing deeper into the nature of the relationship between Sushmita and Rahul, and whether financial motives or manipulation were involved. A formal murder case has been registered.
“It was a clear case of murder projected as an accidental death,” DCP Singh concluded.
