Woman, Ex-Boyfriend Arrested for Killing Live-in Partner, Staging Fire to Destroy Evidence in Delhi

October 27, 2025

New Delhi: Delhi Police have arrested a 21-year-old woman, her former boyfriend, and his associate for allegedly murdering her live-in partner — a UPSC aspirant — and setting his body ablaze inside a north Delhi flat earlier this month to pass it off as an accidental fire.

The Arrests and Accused

According to police, the accused, identified as Amrita Chauhan, along with Sumit Kashyap (27) and Sandeep Kumar (29) — both residents of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh — were apprehended after an intensive probe spanning over two weeks.

Investigators said Amrita allegedly plotted the murder suspecting that the victim, 32-year-old Ramkesh Meena, possessed a hard disk containing “objectionable videos and photographs” of her.

Fire Incident That Sparked Suspicion

On October 6, police received a call about a fire at a fourth-floor apartment in Gandhi Vihar, Timarpur. Firefighters discovered a charred body inside, later identified as Meena. Initially, a case under sections related to causing death by negligence was registered.

However, CCTV footage from the building soon raised suspicions. Two masked individuals were seen entering the premises on the night of the incident. About 39 minutes later, one person exited, and shortly after 2:57 a.m., a woman and another man were seen leaving the building. Moments later, the flat caught fire.

How Police Cracked the Case

Police traced Amrita’s mobile location to the scene. When attempts to contact her failed, multiple raids were conducted in Moradabad, leading to her arrest on October 18.

During interrogation, she allegedly confessed to the crime and disclosed the involvement of her ex-boyfriend Kashyap and his friend Kumar. Based on her statement, police recovered the hard disk, a trolley bag, and the victim’s shirt. Kashyap and Kumar were later arrested on October 22 and 23, respectively.

The Motive and Execution

Investigations revealed that Amrita and Meena had met in May this year and had been living together since. “She claimed that Meena had secretly recorded obscene videos and refused to delete them,” said a senior police officer.

According to police, Amrita, a BSc Forensic Science student and an avid follower of crime shows, devised a plan to kill Meena and disguise it as a fire accident. On the night of the crime, the trio allegedly beat and strangled Meena before pouring oil, ghee, and wine over his body. Kashyap then placed a gas cylinder near the victim’s head, opened the regulator, and set it ablaze while Amrita locked the flat’s iron gate from inside.

They reportedly fled the scene with the hard disk, laptops, and other valuables. The cylinder later exploded, completely burning the body.

Charges and Police Statement

Following their arrests, police invoked sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to murder, common intention, and mischief by fire or explosive substance.

Confirming the arrests, DCP (North) Raja Banthia said that Kashyap worked as an LPG distributor, while Kumar, a graduate, was preparing for the SSC CGL examination.