In the Mahalakshmi murder case, the accused Mukti Ranjan’s brother, Satya Ranjan, has revealed that the victim, Mahalakshmi, had been blackmailing Mukti. According to Satya Ranjan, Mukti was under severe stress due to Mahalakshmi’s demands. She had allegedly extorted a gold chain and ₹7 lakh from Mukti. “One day, my brother called me, sounding very distressed. He said, ‘She is blackmailing me and has already taken my gold chain and ₹7 lakh’,” Satya Ranjan said. The family, after learning about the blackmail, expressed their anger towards Mukti.
The police uncovered Mahalakshmi’s body on September 20 in a three-story building located in Vyalikaval, Bengaluru. Her body had been dismembered into 59 pieces and stored in a refrigerator. Mukti Ranjan, who worked with Mahalakshmi at a showroom, became a prime suspect after the discovery. Despite being on the run, he was tracked down on September 25 in his hometown in Odisha, where he committed suicide by hanging from a tree. A suicide note was found with his body, in which he confessed to the murder.
According to the suicide note, Mukti admitted to having feelings for Mahalakshmi and spending significant amounts of money on her. He claimed that their relationship had soured, with frequent arguments and threats from Mahalakshmi to frame him in a kidnapping case. On September 3, during a heated argument at Mahalakshmi’s residence, Mukti, in a fit of rage, ended up killing her. Afraid of the consequences, he dismembered her body and fled.
The police have been piecing together the events that led to the gruesome murder. Initial investigations focused on Mahalakshmi’s estranged husband, Hemant, with whom she had filed a domestic violence complaint in February. Hemant had separated from her nine months ago. The investigation revealed that Mahalakshmi was also involved with a man named Ashraf, a hairdresser, which added another layer of complexity to the case.
After interrogating 67 individuals, the police narrowed down their suspects, focusing on Mukti Ranjan. CCTV footage from September 2 showed two individuals arriving at Mahalakshmi’s home on a scooter. However, the footage was unclear, leaving the police with insufficient evidence until Mukti’s suicide confession.
In a twist to the case, Mukti’s family provided additional information about his mental state leading up to the murder. According to his brother, Mukti had stayed with him for about 10-12 days before the incident, expressing his worries about being pushed into committing a major crime. Mukti’s mother also confirmed that he had returned home the night before his suicide, appearing tense and restless.
The police are now investigating whether Mahalakshmi’s brother and Ashraf had played a role in escalating the situation. Mukti’s brother also alleged that Mahalakshmi’s brother had threatened and physically assaulted Mukti, further intensifying the pressure on him.
The Bengaluru police have traveled to Odisha to recover Mukti’s laptop, hoping it holds more clues that could shed light on the events leading up to the murder. Bhadrak SP Varun Guntupalli confirmed the involvement of Bengaluru police in the investigation, stating that Mukti had committed suicide before he could be arrested.
The investigation continues as police try to uncover whether others were involved in Mahalakshmi’s murder or if Mukti acted alone in this tragic incident.
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