By IANS
New Delhi : A man has been arrested here for allegedly murdering an Assamese businessman, whose half-naked body was found here last week, by lacing his drink with sleeping pills, police said Thursday.
Satender Singh, 23, of Rai Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh was arrested Wednesday from his rented accommodation in Baljeet Nagar of west Delhi for allegedly killing 50-year-old Pranab Saikia at a Sheikh Sarai house hired by the victim’s maternal uncle Anshuman Das, a banker.
On Feb 8, police had found Saikia’s half-naked body lying near the kitchen. Most of his clothes were found lying near the kitchen with a bottle of wine and leftover meals on the dining table.
Saikia had come to Delhi to look for business opportunities a few days before he was murdered.
Police said all valuables belonging to Saikia, a graduate from the Delhi School of Economics, were missing though other items in the house were intact.
Das and his wife were also missing from the house. But later Das was found admitted in the Max Hospital for the past one week and his wife was staying with him for his care.
“During the investigation it was found that there was a friendly entry into the house and the deceased had shared drinks with an unknown man. It was also found that Saikia had consensual sex with him,” a senior police official told IANS.
Police said records of a phone call from the mobile phone of the victim revealed that he had recently come in contact with some new friends and called them to his house.
“Many of the suspects/friends were thoroughly interrogated and it was found that Singh, one of his new friends, had left Delhi and was staying in Rai Bareilly. He was arrested soon after he returned to Delhi,” the official said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Delhi) Anil Shukla said Singh admitted that he recently befriended Saikia and visited his flat two days before the incident.
“He inspected the flat and the belongings of the deceased. Thereafter, he made a plan to rob the flat as well as the deceased. He again visited the flat along with the victim on the date of incident with a plan to rob cash and other belongings of the deceased,” Shukla said.
“While taking meals Singh mixed intoxicating pills in the snacks and liquor. When the deceased became unconscious, the accused took out cash and other belongings and fled in the car of the deceased,” Shukla added.
Police said two gold rings, Iranian currency, a Maruti car, one suitcase, one laptop bag, a pair of shoes, one jacket and some cash were seized from Singh.