Kolkata couple arrested for murder of Pune businessman

Guwahati: In a tragic turn of events, a couple from Kolkata has been arrested for the alleged murder of a Pune businessman in a luxury hotel here. Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said in a press conference on Tuesday that the incident unfolded on Monday afternoon at the hotel where the trio had been staying.

The victim, identified as 44-year-old Sandeep Suresh Kamble from Pune, had initially met the 25-year-old woman during a business trip to Kolkata in September 2023. The woman, employed as a store manager at a restaurant at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, developed an intimate relationship with Kamble, leading to stays in hotels across at least two cities.

As the relationship soured, Kamble, who was already married, became possessive and attempted to force the woman to marry him. The situation escalated as he started blackmailing her by sharing intimate photos and contacting her family and boyfriend in Kolkata.

Also read: Woman raped, tortured for a week in Delhi, friend arrested

To end the blackmail, the woman and her 23-year-old boyfriend devised a plan to meet Kamble at a hotel, sedate him, and retrieve his mobile phone containing compromising photos. They brought sleeping pills and bhang-infused laddoos for this purpose, along with ropes to restrain Kamble if necessary.

The three arrived separately in Guwahati on Monday. The woman met Kamble at the airport, and they checked into the Radisson Blu hotel, while her boyfriend occupied another room. A confrontation between the men occurred around 2 pm, resulting in injuries to Kamble, who later succumbed. Faced with the unconscious victim, the couple decided to flee the hotel.

Initially planning to catch a train, they changed their minds and opted for a pre-booked flight at 9:15 pm from Guwahati. The boyfriend’s call to the hotel reception, expressing concern about the well-being of the guest in Room No 922, raised suspicions and led to their arrest. Hotel staff discovered Kamble’s lifeless body, prompting them to alert the police.

CCTV footage and hotel records facilitated the identification and subsequent arrest of the couple during their attempt to leave for the airport. The boyfriend’s call became a crucial element leading to their apprehension. The arrested couple confessed to the crime during interrogation, police said.

(with PTI inputs)