A model accused of murdering her businessman boyfriend has been arrested after an 11-day manhunt, having allegedly fled across borders and worn a burqa to evade police.
Shraddha Dubey was detained alongside her sister Rashmi and their driver, Tanveer Ali, also known as Danish, in Nagpur, India, on Tuesday (20 October).
The 31-year-old influencer had been wanted in connection with the death of restaurant owner Shiva Sharma, 28, who fell from the fourth floor of her apartment building in Lucknow on 9 October.
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Police had announced a reward of INR 50,000 (£394) for information leading to the arrest of each suspect, with all three now facing a murder investigation.
According to reports, the trio fled to Nepal shortly after Sharma’s death before returning to India and travelling through several locations, including Agra.
Investigators believe Dubey changed locations frequently, stayed in small lodgings and wore a burqa to conceal her identity while on the run.
Police eventually tracked the suspects to a flat in Nagpur, where they were arrested during a joint operation involving officers from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The trio are being brought back to Lucknow for further questioning, as reported by Need To Know.
Dubey had repeatedly posted videos on social media denying any involvement in Sharma’s death.
In one clip, she claimed: “It was a suicide; I witnessed him jump from the fourth floor of my building.”
She also alleged Sharma had been struggling with debts of up to INR 2m (£15,800) and had spoken about ending his life if he could not repay the money.
However, Sharma’s mother, Ranjana, has accused Dubey and her sister of being involved in his death and alleged that her son had been pressured.
She claimed: “It is murder, and I want Shraddha to face her crime.”
Police registered a murder case following the family’s complaint.
A post-mortem found that Sharma died from shock and haemorrhage caused by his injuries.
The report documented extensive internal trauma, including tears in both lungs, damage to his liver and spleen, and a fractured pelvic bone.
It said the injuries were consistent with an impact against a hard surface, but could not establish how long before his death they had been sustained.
Ranjana Sharma has alleged her son was held captive and brutally assaulted before being thrown from the fourth floor.
She also claimed his body bore cigarette burns and scratches, alongside fractures to his jaw, around both eyes, his ribs and a leg.
The allegations have not been independently established, and police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of his death.
Dubey, who has around 144,000 Instagram followers, is a model and fashion influencer who has organised runway events and appeared in a music video.
She is divorced and has a son, according to reports.
Sharma owned several restaurants in Lucknow. The pair had reportedly been in a relationship for several months before his death.
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