Woman orders hit on father-in-law for control of Rs 300-crore family property

What seemed to be a hit-and-run accidental death of an 82-year-old man in Nagpur has turned out to be a well-planned murder conspiracy by his daughter-in-law with the purpose of taking control of family property worth ₹300 crores.

Initially registered as an accident case, further investigation uncovered evidence of a premeditated murder and alleged contract killing.

Police investigation into the death of Purushottam Puttewar, who was run over by a car on May 22, has revealed that he was the target of a contract killing initiated by his daughter-in-law Archana Manish Puttewar, an assistant director in the town planning department. Archana was arrested last week on a production warrant granted by a court.

Spent ₹1 crore for murder

The police said that Archana spent ₹1 crore to hire people to commit the murder. “She gave funds to the accused to purchase a used car to knock down her father-in-law. This was done to make the murder look like an accident. It is apparently to gain control of his property worth ₹300 crore,” said a police officer.

Archana planned the murder with her husband’s driver, Sarthak Bagde (29), and two other accused, Neeraj Ishwar Nimje (30) and Sachin Mohan Dharmik (29). Another accused, Payal Nageshwar (28), is the personal assistant of the prime accused.

Dharmik became a part of the murder conspiracy, hatched by Archana Puttewar, Nageshwar, and Bagde, after he was assured that he would be granted a beer bar license, a crime branch official said.

The police arrested all the accused and have charged them with murder and other sections under the Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act.

A court on Wednesday (June 13) also remanded Prashant Parlewar (59), Director, MSME, in Maharashtra government, to police custody till June 15 in connection with the alleged contract killing.

The investigation into the murder case has also uncovered major irregularities in Archana’s work in the town planning department. There were several complaints against her, but no action was taken because of her alleged political connections. The probe has found that she had violated norms and cleared illegal layouts.

Archana, earlier remanded to judicial custody, will be produced before the court on Thursday (June 13), a Crime Branch official said.

Police have so far seized two cars, an SUV, 140 grams of gold, ₹3 lakh, seven mobile phones, and other materials from the accused, the official said.