Former tenant posed as CBI officer to family, killed boy to avenge insult

A 7-year-old boy, after being kidnapped from his house on January 7, was killed by his family's former tenant, police said.

DCP northwest, Aslam Khan said initially, the police could not get any clue as the family did not suspect anyone. Following a probe, it appeared that one, Avdesh Sakya, who was mistaken as one of the family members, was very close to the family and a former tenant as well. Sakya stayed with the family for five years before moving out because of an altercation with Ashish's father. Sakya, while living as a tenant, had told the family that he was a CBI officer and that he would actively help them find the kid.

Ashish's body was found stuffed in a suitcase and was recovered on Tuesday morning from their neighbourhood. The accused, who was also a UPSC aspirant, was arrested.

After the 7-year-old kid, who lived with his family in northwest Delhi's Swaroop Nagar went missing, his family got a missing complaint lodged and search operations were conducted.

Sakya was also among the ones with the family when an FIR was registered. "His involvement towards investigation and cooperation kept him out of suspicion. The family also showed immense trust in him. Even the kidnapped child referred to Sakya as 'Bhaiya' (elder brother)," Khan added.

The DCP further said that it was late on Monday when the family revealed to the police that Sakya had left their house after staying with them for five years, following an altercation between Ashish's father Karan and mother Neelam. Karan had apparently also told Ashish not to meet Sakya and had insulted him publicly, police said.

"Police picked Sakya on Tuesday and after questioning, he confessed to have smothered the child the same day that he kidnapped him after which he stuffed his body in a suitcase at his house so that he could dispose it off later," the officer said.

Police, on Sakya's instance, recovered the suitcase from the accused's rented accommodation near Ashish's house and it was sent for post-mortem. The family was informed and Sakya was booked for kidnapping and murder.

During questioning, Sakya revealed that he took the brutal step against the child in a fit of rage to avenge the insult.