‘Ex-minister’s daughter-in-law plotted to kill ex-employee’s wife’

PATNA: The daughter-in-law of a former Bihar minister had hired contract killers to eliminate the wife of a former employee of her company, who was shot at and injured on June 25, the Muzaffarpur police said on Monday.

According to police, Rupa Sharma, daughter-in-law of former urban development minister Suresh Sharma, is at large while four suspects have been arrested.

Sharma was minister in the Nitish Kumar government from July 2017 since the assembly polls in 2020, when he lost his seat.

His family has a dealership for Maruti cars and owns a number of showrooms.

Police said Rupa Sharma took a liking to Aryan Verma, who earlier worked with the family’s company. “She hatched a conspiracy and hired contract killers to eliminate Aryan’s wife Sankriti,” said senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rakesh Kumar.

Sankriti is a computer operator and worked with another company.

According to the SSP, three assailants had shot Sanskriti thrice on June 25. She received three bullet hits but survived.

“In her statement before the police, an injured Sankriti said she was also thrashed by two persons a few days before the incident when she was on way to her office. She said her husband Aryan Verma worked in a Maruti Nexa showroom but quit the job a year ago after pressure from Rupa, wife of Sanjiv Sharma, who wanted him to leave me and our children,” the SSP said.

Following her statement, a special investigation team (SIT) under the leadership of City SP Awadhesh Dixit was formed and it arrested four suspects, identified as Abhinit Kumar, Tushar Kumar, Krishna Kumar and Shiv Sheikh.

Abhinit and Tushar are employees of the Sharmas.

The SSP said Rupa paid Rs 3.5 lakh to the shooter through Tushar as advance payment for the deal finalised at Rs 10 lakh. “Two shooters and Rupa Sharma are still at large. Raids are on to nab them earliest,” added the SSP.