Kanpur (UP), Sep 28 A court in Kanpur on Monday ordered the release of Shalu Manocha, daughter-in-law of pharmaceutical trader Vineet Manocha who was killed at his Ratan Orbit flat earlier this month, after police filed a closure report saying they found no evidence linking her to the murder.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate court directed Shalu to be released on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and appear before the court or investigating officer whenever required, an official said.
“Shalu walked out of jail at around 7.30 pm after the court order reached the prison,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) SM Qasim Abidi told PTI.
The jail superintendent also confirmed her release.
Police had initially arrested Shalu based on the statement of accused Vishal Gautam, who allegedly told investigators that the murder was carried out at her behest, the DCP said.
Gautam had claimed that Shalu promised him Rs 6 lakh -- Rs 2 lakh in advance and Rs 4 lakh later -- besides a job, he said.
“During a detailed investigation, no evidence was found to establish Shalu’s direct or indirect involvement in the crime,” Abidi told PTI.
The investigation subsequently led police to evidence against Vineet’s son, Subrat Manocha, who was arrested in the case, the officer said.
Police filed the closure report in Shalu’s case before the CJM court on Monday, following which the court ordered her release, Shalu’s advocate Shivakant Dixit said.
Shalu’s brother Dheeraj Arora said the family had maintained from the beginning that she was not involved in the murder.
He said her son, Shrijay, was currently staying with him in Lucknow and that Shalu would go directly to her parental home there instead of returning to her in-laws’ flat at Ratan Orbit.
Vineet Manocha, a pharmaceutical trader, was stabbed repeatedly and killed at his flat in Ratan Orbit, Indira Nagar, on September 5.
Police later arrested Subrat, alleging that he had plotted the murder with the help of his former domestic worker Vishal Gautam and his associate Rajkishore. The three are currently lodged in jail.
