Accused procured arsenic as samples for bulk order

MUMBAI: The suspected killers of the Santacruz businessman had obtained thallium and arsenic from a South Mumbaibased supplier as samples, claiming that they wanted to order bulk quantities of the highly toxic chemicals for their pharmaceutical manufacturing unit, Mumbai police crime branch officials said.

Officials associated with Unit 9 of the Crime Branch, which is probing the suspected murder of Kamalkant Shah, 45, by his wife Kavita and her lover Hitesh

Jain, said Jain knew the supplier of the toxic chemicals and lured him to part with small quantities of the chemicals by promising him bulk orders.

During the investigation, it was found that the woman and Jain both wanted to get married and also usurp Shah’s property. They had planned to kill Shah, and started mixing arsenic in his food, due to which his health deteriorated and Shah was initially admitted in Criticare Hospital in Andheri on August 27, added officer.

He was later shifted to Bombay Hospital on September 3, where he died on September 19.

The crime branch officials said that the medical report suggested traces of thallium and arsenic in his body. Based on the circumstantial, technical evidence and medical evidence, Kavita and Jain were arrested on Friday.

Shah’s mother, Sarladevi, had died on August 13 with similar health issues. She was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri on August 2. “It appears that her death could have also been planned and she too was given arsenic. We will also investigate the woman’s death,” the officer added.