Wife plots horrific murder of husband:Caught him in objectionable condition with lover; disputes had been ongoing for years

The murder of Manish Meena in broad daylight at Tower Chowk in Ujjain had shaken the entire city. On the morning of August 18, 2015, Manish was shot in the head at point-blank range while on his way to the office. After battling between life and death for four days, he died. The incident in such a crowded area jolted the police into action. Angry family members and traders took to the streets, putting immense pressure on the police to catch the killers. About ten days later, the first breakthrough came when Hanif, the man who fired the shot, was arrested from an NGO. During interrogation, he revealed the name of his accomplice Rizwan. Police also recovered the country-made pistol used in the crime along with the motorcycle. However, the biggest question still remained—why was Manish murdered? Who had conspired to kill him? Was it personal enmity or was there a bigger secret behind it? Read in Crime Files Part-2. Hanif named Manish’s wife during interrogation During police interrogation, Hanif also mentioned the name of Manish’s wife, Meenakshi. Initially, the police did not believe this claim. Until then, the investigation had established that Rizwan Ansari was with Hanif on the motorcycle on the day of the incident. Rizwan was riding the bike, while Hanif was sitting behind him. According to the investigation, Meenakshi had dropped Manish near the Vasavada petrol pump, close to Tower Chowk, before leaving. Manish was walking through the alley behind the petrol pump when Rizwan and Hanif arrived on the motorcycle. Hanif then shot Manish in the head from point-blank range. Hanif and Meenakshi spoke six times on the day of the murder After Hanif’s statement, police also took Meenakshi into custody. When the Call Detail Records (CDR) were examined, several shocking details emerged. On August 18, the day Manish was murdered, six phone calls were exchanged between Hanif and Meenakshi. These calls took place at 10:47, 10:55, 11:00, 11:18, 11:31 and 11:34 AM, while the murder occurred between approximately 10:30 and 11 AM. This indicated that the two remained in constant contact even around the time of the crime. The investigation further revealed that on August 17, a day before the murder, 13 phone conversations had taken place between them using different SIM cards. SIM cards purchased using stolen documents As the investigation progressed, layers of the conspiracy began to unfold. Police discovered that Meenakshi had conspired with her lover Hanif to murder her husband, Manish. To mislead investigators, Hanif had stolen documents from a young man working at his NGO and used them to obtain a SIM card, which he used to communicate with Meenakshi. Meanwhile, Meenakshi had also obtained a SIM card in the name of a woman who did not even use a mobile phone. The two had been communicating through these fake SIM cards for a long time, but their carefully planned method eventually failed to hide the truth. Hanif borrowed bike from friend to execute murder To carry out the plan, Hanif borrowed a bike from a friend in his colony, telling him he would return it after completing some work. He then reached Tower Chowk with Rizwan. Meanwhile, following the pre-planned scheme, Meenakshi left home with her husband Manish on a red scooter and dropped him near the Vasavada petrol pump. She told him she had work in the market and returned home after dropping him. Manish was walking toward his office through the lane behind the petrol pump, when Hanif and Rizwan arrived on the borrowed bike, shot him, and fled the scene. Attendance registers expose their lies Even after their arrest, Hanif and Meenakshi attempted to mislead the police. When asked about their whereabouts on the morning of August 18, Hanif claimed he was at the NGO. However, police discovered discrepancies in the NGO’s attendance register. Hanif had arrived late that day, though the register had been tampered with to show his attendance at 10:30 AM. Similarly, Meenakshi had called the NGO saying she would be late, even though she had already left home. These contradictions exposed the lies in their statements. Love, suspicion, and conspiracy Manish’s father, Radhakishan Meena, told police that Manish and Meenakshi had known each other for four years. Their relationship culminated in a love marriage on November 19, 2013. Manish was their only son. During her work at the NGO, Meenakshi and Hanif became close, eventually plotting Manish’s murder. According to Meenakshi, Manish had repeatedly threatened her and Hanif, claiming that a friend in jail would get them killed once released. Fearful of these threats, she and Hanif conspired to kill Manish.