The Guwahati police solved a major murder case that unfolded at room number 922 in the Radisson Blu hotel in less than 24 hours, arresting two prime suspects, according to information shared by Commissioner of Police Diganta Barah on Tuesday.

As per the police, the two accused identified as Anjali Shaw (25) daughter of late Shiva Sankar Shaw of South Baksara, PS-Santragachi, Dist-Howrah (West Bengal) and Vikash Kumar Shaw (23) son of Prem Chand Shaw of 12/6 Hrishikesh Ghosh Lane, Howrah, PS-Golabari, Dist-Howrah(West Bengal) were found to be directly involved in the crime and confessed to the police after being apprehended at LGBI airport in Borjhar, Guwahati.

Addressing the media, city police commissioner, Diganta Barah said, “The victim Sandeep Suresh Kamble was a businessman from Pune who deals in cars, diamonds and on business purposes he used to travel around the country. During one of such business travels to Kolkata, in the month of September, 2023 the victim came into contact with Anjali Shaw, who was a store manager at a restaurant named ‘Saptagiri’ at Netaji Subhash Basu International Airport, Kolkata. Both the victim and accused Anjali Shaw exchanged their mobile phone numbers and since then they have been in touch. Their relationship became closer and became intimate. They also spent nights together in hotels in Kolkata and also in Pune. During such intimate encounters, the victim took some photographs of their intimate moments. The victim also used to send expensive gifts the accused Anjali. The victim, although already married, wanted to marry Anjali and kept on forcing her to break off her relationship with her boyfriend Vikash Shaw.”

Gradually, their relationship fell apart and the Anjali started avoiding the victim. However, the victim became more possessive and started blackmailing her by showing their photographs of intimate moments, the police commissioner informed.

“At one point of time, Anjali cut off all relationship with the victim. The victim became aggressive and started contacting Anjali’s family members and boyfriend Bikash to try to force her to marry him. The victim also shared his and Anjali’s intimate photographs with Bikash Shaw, who is Anjali’s boyfriend. When Anjali Shaw could not bear the regular torture any longer, she along with her boyfriend hatched a plan to meet Sandeep at a hotel and then snatch his phones so that the blackmailing would stop. They decided that Anjali would plan a meeting with Sandeep at Kolkata and then Vikash would also join them and together they would overpower him and take away his phones. They also planned on sedating Sandeep to carry out this plan and accordingly Anjali brought anti-depressant/sleeping pills and bhang infused laddoos to feed to Sandeep. The accused also got five pieces of ropes prepared with gamocha cloths to tie the victim once he is over-powered,” added the police commissioner.

Meanwhile, when Anjali contacted the victim again and wanted to meet him like earlier times, the victim became suspicious and refused to meet in Kolkata. Instead, the victim agreed to meet in Guwahati as he believed that he met Anjali in Kolkata for the first time on his way back from Guwahati after visiting Kamakhya Temple and he wanted to have the temple darshan again and they could meet also.

Accordingly, on January 5, 2024, all the three persons came to Guwahati separately, the police said.

The police commissioner further stated that Anjali met Sandeep at the LGBI Airport and then left for Radisson Blu hotel where they checked in at Room No 922. Later, this information was passed on to Vikash by Anjali and he too arrived at Radisson Blu and checked into Room No 1024.

“Anjali kept the door of their hotel room open so that Bikash could enter. At around 02:00 PM, Vikash entered Anjali and Sandeep’s room as planned. After that a scuffle ensued between Bikash and the victim. During the scuffle, Sandeep was severely injured and later on died. Founding the victim in unconscious state profusedly bleeding from nose, they decided to leave the hotel room. After that, around 02:45 PM Anjali and Vikash together left the hotel and initially went to Kamakhya railway station to catch any train heading for Kolkata. Later on, they changed their plan and decided to catch the flight (Indigo Flight No 6E 6664) at 9:15 pm on that day where their tickets were pre-booked. Accordingly, they were fleeing towards the LGBI Airport when they were detained and arrested,” added the top cop before the media today.

Earlier yesterday at 4.00 PM, the city police received information from the management of Radisson Blu Hotel, Guwahati that a telephone call was received at the Hotel Reception that the guest at Room No 922 might be sick and that someone should check on him. Immediately, the management rushed to the room and found the guest Sandeep Suresh Kamble lying dead in a pool of blood. On receipt of this information, DCP West Guwahati along with ADCP West, ACP Jalukbari and IC Jalukbari OP along with their teams reached the place of occurrence.

Prima facie, it was seen that the person was already dead and there were blood stains all around the room. Immediately, the information was recorded vide Jalukbari OP GDE No. 120 dated January 5, 2024 and investigation started. Subsequently, an FIR has also been received from Vishal Kamble, brother of the victim today morning and the same has been registered as Jalukbari PS Case No 53/24 under section 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Recovery and seizures:

1.            Clothes worn by the accused which were stained with the blood of the victim.

2.            Mobile Phone of the victim has been seized from the possession of the accused.

3.            Bhang infused laddoos from the bag of the accused

4.            A strip of anti-depressant tablets/ sleeping pills

5.            Phones of the accused containing chats where they had planned the entire incident