Chintan Upadhyay Promised Rs 15 Lakh to the Accused: Mumbai Police

Four arrested along with the main accused Vidyadhar Rajbhar were supposed to be paid lakhs for the killings.

Hema Upadhyay’s cousin says the family is sure her ex-husband Chintan is behind the murder. (The photo has been altered by The Quint/Hema’s photo by Anne Maniglier)

Investigation in the Hema Upadhyay and Haresh Bhambhani murder case revealed that the four accused arrested along with the main accused Vidyadhar Rajbhar were supposed to be paid lakhs for the killings by Hema’s husband Chintan Upadhyay, according to The Indian Express.

Five persons have been arrested in connection with the double murder and a search is on for two including Vidyadhar and a ‘mediator’ whose identity has not been revealed.

The bodies of Bhambhani and artist Hema Upadhyay were found wrapped in plastic sheets inside cardboard cartons dumped in a sewer in Kandivali on December 12.

<p>While hatching the plan, Chintan promised to pay the money seven days after the murder. Vidyadhar agreed. A sum of around Rs 15 lakh was promised which included waiving off Rs 6 lakh that Vidyadhar owed Chintan for his father’s treatment. Chintan had footed the medical bills of Vidyadhar’s father Vanshraj who was also a metal fabrication artist and used to work for Chintan around five years ago. However, Vidyadhar was never able to pay back Chintan the money.</p>

<p>Senior Official, Mumbai Police to <i>The Indian Express</i></p>

Hema Upadhyay Murder case accused Pradeep Rajbhar and Vijay Rajbhar being produced in a court, in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI) 

Investigations also pointed out that Harish Bhambani was not an unintended target in the conspiracy allegedly plotted by Chintan Upadhyay, the same report in The Indian Express points out.

<p>It was on Bhambhani’s suggestion that Hema decided to appeal in the Bombay High Court against the adverse decision of the family court which ruled in Chintan’s favour. Chintan was sure that if Hema went missing, Bhambhani would suspect him and therefore decided to kill both of them.</p>

<p>Mumbai Police Official to<i> The Indian Express</i></p>

Also on The Quint:

Chintan Had Been Harassing Hema for a Decade Now: Hema’s Cousin
Hema Upadhyay’s Husband Chintan Met Vidyadhar Days Before Murder
Haven’t Cried Since I Learnt About His Death: Bhambani’s Daughter
Chintan Upadhyay: The Self-Confessed “Provocative” Artist