One held for killing 60-year-old man for refusing him ₹1 lakh loan in Ghaziabad

A 35-year-old man was arrested from Dasna on Monday on charges of killing a 60-year-old Hapur resident on April 7 allegedly to steal money using his ATM card after he refused to give him a ₹1 lakh loan.

According to Nipun Aggarwal, deputy commissioner of police (City), the suspect has been identified as Somveer Singh (35), a native of Bhojpur, Ghaziabad, who was living on rent in Kapoorpur village of Hapur. His accomplice, Sonu Singh, is on the run.

Police said the murder took place in January this year. “On January 7, the victim, Jagdish Singh, a resident of Hapur, had come to the old bus stand in Ghaziabad to purchase some medicines. However, he didn’t return to his house in Hapur after which, on January 13, his brother Sarjeet Singh submitted a missing person complaint at Sihani Gate police station. An FIR was lodged under relevant sections and investigation was launched,” the DCP said.

Police found during investigation that as per Singh’s bank statement, ₹80,000 was withdrawn from his account from an ATM in Hapur between January 7 and 8 in three transactions.

“Police contacted the bank and recovered the CCTV footage from the ATM kiosk. In it, two people were seen using the deceased man’s ATM card. The two suspects were identified as Somveer Singh and Sonu Singh, both residents of Hapur,” he said.

Upon further inquiry, it was found that both suspects were known to the deceased. “On Monday, Somveer was arrested from his rented accommodation in Hapur. During interrogation, he told us that in November 2022, Jagdish had sold his plot and received a cheque of ₹3.5 lakh from the buyer. In December 2022, Sonu and Somveer met Jagdish and Somveer asked Jagdish to give Sonu a ₹1 lakh loan. Jagdish told them that he will lend the money once he encashes the cheque,” said the officer.

On January 7, after purchasing medicine, Jagdish went to a bank in Sapnawat in Hapur where both suspects saw him. “They took him to Dhaulana area of Hapur to have drinks together and once they came to know that money was transferred to his account, they started demanding the loan. But, Jagdish refused following which the two suspects got him to reveal his ATM pin after intoxicating him. While on their way home to Kapoorpur village, they killed Jagdish by smashing his head with a brick,” said the officer.

The two suspects buried the body in a farm in Kapoorpur after digging a five foot deep pit, police said. Based on Somveer’s statement, police exhumed the body on Monday and sent it for an autopsy.

“The autopsy reports are awaited while two teams have been formed to nab the absconding suspect Sonu. Somveer has been booked under sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code. The arrested suspect has been sent to judicial custody,” added the officer.