Delhi couple tries to seal deal with old notes, killed

New Delhi: The police has apprehended two juveniles and arrested a 19-year-old boy for allegedly shooting Sanjay Rana and his wife, Lalita, dead at their residence on November 14. The couple was killed after repayment of a cancelled land deal was stuck because of an offer to pay in old currency notes post demonetisation.

The police says that the victim’s insisted on repaying the loan of Rs 20 lakh in higher value demonetised currency and the accused’s family demanding that the money be paid in new notes only.

At the centre of the dispute is a 1,200 square yard residential premise where Rana used to stay with his wife, two daughters and his sister-in-law, Kiran. Investigations revealed that Rana’s daughters had inherited the property from his father who had made it clear in his will that till his granddaughters are adults, the property could not be sold to anyone else by Rana or his wife. Only he himself would be authorised to do so.

“Despite the will, Rana entered into a deal with the family of a man named Rakesh, promising to sell them the property for Rs 80 lakh of which Rs 20 lakh was received by him in advance. This was early last year. Rakesh was in jail in connection with the murder of his cousin over another property, but was managing the deal from Tihar,” said a police officer.

In due course of time, Rakesh found out about the no-sale clause and that Rana  and his wife had filed many cases against his father and other members of his extended family. “He demanded a refund of the advance payment, but despite his repeated reminders and even veiled threats, the victim was not ready to part with the money,” said the officer.

For nearly two years, the stalemate continued but the announcement on November 8 suddenly changed the situation. “Later, Rana called the accused’s family and said that he was ready to return the money but that he would pay the money in cash bundles of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes, a proposition unacceptable to the other side,” said the officer.

Rakesh was angry that he had already not received any interest on the money and depositing such a huge amount in the bank would invite questions he was not prepared to answer.

“He roped in four persons through the help of his juvenile son from the village Bajghera-Najafgarh. He specifically roped in juveniles to execute the crime so that they could escape severe punishment. He also promised them a hefty amount after the murder of Rana and his wife,” said the officer. Among others was another 17-year-old from his village who is a former junior national level badminton player.

“As per the plan, two boys knocked at the door of their house. When Kiran opened the door, the said boys told her that they needed rooms on rent and would pay the advance rent to uncle (Sanjay). She informed her brother-in-law and he told her to ask them to go outside the house and wait on the motorcycle shop where he would meet them in a short while,” said the officer.

The boys allegedly insisted again to call Sanjay as they had to leave early. After that he came out of the room assisted by Lalita. “Both the boys waiting in the courtyard turned back and fired indiscriminately at both the deceased persons with the firearms in their hands. Her brother-in-law and sister got serious bullet injuries in their heads and other parts of their bodies. They both fell on the ground. The assailants ran outside the house and rode along with two of their other associates waiting outside the house on two white scooties,” said the officer.