Illicit affair led to brutal murder in Jabalpur:Wife, lover and friend planned killing as road accident; court sentences all to life imprisonment

In the first part of Crime Files, it was reported that on September 25, 2022, police discovered the body of a young man on a deserted road connecting Majhgawan and Kumhi Parsel. The deceased was later identified as Ashish Chaudhary, a resident of a nearby village. Ashish had visited his in-laws’ house a day earlier for some work, but failed to return home. The post-mortem examination revealed that he had been brutally murdered by crushing his head. During the initial investigation, police also learned that Ashish had recently caught his wife, Sadhana, in an objectionable situation with another young man from the same village. Hidden phone changes the direction of investigation The direction of the investigation took a dramatic turn when police recovered a secret mobile phone hidden in the kitchen of Ashish’s house. The phone had been concealed by his wife, Sadhana. Call records revealed that the device was repeatedly used to contact the same number. This discovery raised serious suspicion and prompted police to re-examine the case more closely. Reverse investigation brings crucial clue After confirming the murder, Jabalpur police adopted a strategy of ‘reverse investigation’. Ashish’s uncle, Jai, was interrogated again in depth. This time, his statement proved to be a turning point. Jai told police that on the evening of the incident, around 7 pm, he had seen Ashish near the Kumhi liquor shop with two youths from the same village—Dharmendra Patel and Amit Patel. He stated that the three spoke briefly, after which Ashish was riding his bike while Dharmendra and Amit were on another motorcycle. They then travelled together towards Parsel. Police immediately checked CCTV footage from around the liquor shop. The footage corroborated Jai’s statement. Digital evidence strengthens suspicion Without delay, police retrieved the mobile location data of Dharmendra and Amit. The digital evidence was damning. At the time of the incident, the location of both men matched exactly with Ashish’s phone location. Since they were the last people seen with Ashish, police detained Dharmendra and Amit and subjected them to rigorous questioning. Initially, both attempted to mislead investigators with fabricated stories. However, faced with mounting evidence, they eventually confessed to murdering Ashish. Despite the confessions, a critical question remained, why would Ashish’s own friends kill him so brutally? Illicit relationship exposed through hidden phone When police obtained details of the SIM card used in the hidden phone, the full truth emerged. The SIM was registered in the name of Dharmendra Patel, and the number repeatedly contacted from that phone also belonged to him. When confronted with this evidence, Sadhana was left speechless. It became clear that she and Dharmendra were involved in an illicit relationship. Investigators found that Dharmendra, who lived in the same village as Ashish, had been visiting Ashish’s house frequently. During this time, he and Sadhana had been in a relationship for the past three to four years. Dharmendra had purchased the second phone and SIM using his own identification so that they could speak secretly. Sadhana would often hide in the kitchen or secluded corners of the house to talk to him. Ashish had recently discovered their relationship, leading to frequent arguments between the couple. Ashish began harassing Sadhana, but the matter remained hidden from other family members. Step-by-step murder conspiracy revealed During interrogation, Dharmendra confessed the entire conspiracy. He admitted that Sadhana had been pressuring him for the past 15 to 20 days to kill Ashish so that their relationship could continue without obstruction. On September 24, 2022, Ashish went to his in-laws’ house in Pindrai. That same day, Sadhana called Dharmendra and instructed him to lure Ashish out on the pretext of drinking alcohol and kill him in a way that would resemble an accident. That evening around 6 pm, Dharmendra called Ashish and invited Amit Patel to the Kumhi liquor shop. Dharmendra arrived on his motorcycle, followed shortly by Ashish and Amit. Dharmendra gave Ashish ₹500 to buy liquor, eggs, glasses and a water bottle. When the liquor ran out, Ashish went back to the shop to buy more. During his absence, Dharmendra and Amit decided to intoxicate him further upon his return and then kill him. Both picked up heavy stones nearby and waited. When Ashish returned, they forced him to drink more alcohol. Once he was heavily intoxicated, they struck his head with the stones, killing him instantly. Attempt to destroy evidence After the murder, the duo pushed Ashish’s body into a nearby pit. Amit also threw Ashish’s motorcycle into the same pit to make the scene resemble a road accident. The blood-stained stones were discarded at the site. While returning to the village, Dharmendra stopped on a bridge over the Hiran River and threw Ashish’s mobile phone into the river to eliminate digital evidence. Once home, Dharmendra called Sadhana and told her that Ashish’s last words were, ‘Your work is done.’ Justice after 3 years Following nearly three months of intensive investigation, Jabalpur police filed a charge sheet against Sadhana, Dharmendra Patel and Amit Patel under sections related to murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence. After a trial lasting nearly three years, the Jabalpur District Court delivered its verdict on June 27, 2025. The court found all three guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment, bringing an end to a conspiracy that had been hidden behind the façade of a tragic accident. Man catches wife in intimate act with lover:Husband found dead weeks later, ‘accidental’ death raises questions; police investigate accident or murder angle | Part-1