A day later, the mystery surrounding Padmapriya’s death deepened with speculation of her being kidnapped before death.
Speculation rife that Karnataka BJP MLA’s wife was drugged before death
NEW DELHI: When Delhi Police found the body of Padmapriya, wife of Karnataka BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat, in Sama Apartment, Dwarka, West Delhi, on Sunday, they quickly concluded it was a case of suicide. A day later, the mystery surrounding Padmapriya’s death deepened with speculation of her being kidnapped before death.
Padmapriya’s body was found hanging from the ceiling of the flat. There was no suicide note.
“It appears to be a case of suicide, but we are investigating all angles, including murder,” a senior police officer said.
The case took a mysterious turn when Raghupathi and Karnataka home minister VS Acharya arrived in Delhi on Monday to identify the body. Acharya said he was convinced “this was a case of kidnapping and murder”.
Padmapriya had been missing since June 10, the day she left her Udupi home for her mother’s place in Karnad, Karnataka. On June 13, her Wagon R was found abandoned near the Kunjarugiri hills.
Delhi Police claimed Padmapriya shifted into the Dwarka apartment just three days before her death. Oddly, it was a “family friend”, Atul Ram, who had informed Karnataka Police that Padmapriya was in Delhi. The cops are now interrogating him for leads and it is being said Ram arrived in Delhi with Padmapriya but soon returned to Karnad.
The victim’s body has been sent for autopsy and the report was expected by Monday night. However, sources hinted at the possibility of Padmapriya being drugged before death.
Police sources said Lakhinder Singh, Padmapriya’s landlord in Delhi, told them he rented out the apartment just two days back for Rs13,000. Though Delhi Police denied reports of Ram and Padmapriya jointly renting the apartment, Singh said the victim did have a man with her.
y_puneet@dnaindia.net
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