In a significant development, Bhopal police have solved the double murder case of a retired couple, revealing a plot to acquire property worth crores of rupees. Hemant Philemon and his wife Shakuntala Philemon were fatally shot at their home in Sudama Nagar Colony, Ashoka Garden area, on June 24. The bodies, discovered in a mutilated state on June 26, led to the arrest of two property dealers, brothers Shrikant and Shashikant, around 20 days after the incident.
The victims had connections with the accused, who collaborated with the aforementioned brothers in a conspiracy. The murders were carried out at approximately 9:30 pm on June 24, with three used cartridges recovered from the scene. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was established to crack the case, and a country-made firearm was found at the victims’ residence.
Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar mentioned ongoing inquiries into why the victims possessed a concealed firearm and the potential threats they faced. While the murder weapon remains unrecovered, it was allegedly obtained by the accused from an individual in Agar Malwa, who is also being probed. Suspicions point to Shibani, Shakuntala’s sister-in-law, for her involvement in the scheme to seize the couple’s assets.
Shrikant, who had assisted Shibani in a previous property sale, introduced Hemant to the deal that led to the execution of a forged gift deed without the couple’s knowledge. The accused purportedly utilized the weapon in the crime before discarding it at an undisclosed location. Efforts are underway to locate the firearm, with a joint police team conducting searches aided by the arrested brothers.
Authorities have scrutinized over 1,500 CCTV recordings to identify the siblings as the primary suspects among around 50 others. Key progress was made when one suspect was traced through a digital payment while buying liquor nearby. Additionally, a couple residing in the victims’ house had gone missing days before the incident. Data analysis from seized phones and a previously announced reward of Rs 50,000 aim to expedite the investigation.
