Business partners held for Lucknow realtor’s murder; love affair with wife motive

The murder of a 26-year-old property agent in Lucknow was the fallout of an illicit love affair, police said on Wednesday, announcing two arrests in the case.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Zone) Nipun Agarwal said Kunal Gupta was found dead on Tuesday night at Babupur village of the Banthra area.

Wasim Ali Khan, 35, and Vivek Singh, 34, worked together dealing in properties, he said.

Khan was upset over Gupta's closeness with his wife, and allegedly planned to kill Gupta, the officer said.

On Monday night, Khan called Gupta to Vivek Singh's office, attacked him on the head with an iron rod, and left behind the body, which was found the next day.

Singh later helped Khan dispose Gupta's mobile phone and blood-stained clothes to destroy evidence, Agarwal, flanked by Additional DCP Ralapalli Vasanth Kumar, told reporters at a press conference.

According to police, Khan had been threatening Gupta for some time and finally killed him around 9.30 pm on Tuesday.

After the murder, Khan and Singh disposed of the iron rod, Gupta's blood-stained clothes, and mobile phone near a drain.

On the back of CCTV footage and field intelligence, police tracked Khan down in Babupur and at his instance recovered the murder weapon and clothes.

The DCP said both Khan and Singh confessed to the crime.