Mumbai: The Malvani Police will question Nandini Rai's husband Pankaj, who was in Bihar, in connection with his wife's murder, four days after she was found stashed in a gunny bag. Police claim that the father-in-law has been detained for questioning as he was dodging answers related to Nandini's disappearance and never lodged a police complaint.
Police said that Nandini's husband Pankaj, who had gone to their native place in Bihar for Chhath Puja, did not return home until the last week of December, which is when her body was found stashed inside a gunny bag. To investigate the matter, police had summoned Pankaj who has arrived on Sunday. Sources claim that Pankaj and his father are the prime suspects in connection with the murder of Nandini, a homemaker, who is suspected to have been killed by smothering.
"We found it very weird when her in-laws did not file a missing report. Moreover, when the family gave misleading answers, the suspicion grew stronger. We have pulled out call data records and are scrutinising the CCTV camera footage to establish the sequence of events," said an official.
Prima facie, police suspect that Nandini was smothered to death, most likely with a pillow, which was found stashed in the gunny bag along with her body and a bedsheet. Sources have claimed that Nandini was allegedly having an extra marital affair, which her father-in-law learnt about and a heated argument ensued between the duo.
Police said the unclaimed gunny bag was reported by a local at Aksa Beach at around 9.30am on Thursday, following which Malvani Police reached the spot and a case of murder, causing disappearance of evidence has been recorded against unidentified persons. Police also suspect the role of an autorickshaw driver who could have helped the accused dump the gunny bag at Aksa Beach.