Absconding model-influencer Shraddha Dubey held in Nagpur in Lucknow's Shiva Sharma murder case

Nagpur: Shraddha Dubey, a model and influencer on the run in the much-discussed Shiva Sharma murder case in Lucknow, tried every trick to evade the police, including wearing a burqa, using a hired car and changing hideouts. She travelled from Nepal to Kanpur and then to Nagpur, where she took shelter in a flat in Chinchbhuvan with her sister Rashmi Dubey and their driver Danish alias Tanveer Ali. She hoped to slip away and change her hideout once more, but a joint cordon by Lucknow Police, the STF and Nagpur Crime Branch upended her plans. On October 20, the police broke down the door of the flat and arrested all three.

Shraddha had been absconding since Shiva Sharma was murdered on October 9 and had been repeatedly giving the police the slip. As the case is high-profile, Uttar Pradesh Police were under heavy pressure to reach the accused. Her run ended in Nagpur.

According to police sources, Shraddha fled to Nepal with her sister and the driver after the murder. After spending some time there, the three decided to leave Nepal when she got wind that Uttar Pradesh Police were closing in. They reached Kanpur, hired a Swift Dzire car and travelled by road to Nagpur.

The three reached Nagpur late on the night of October 18. The car driver dropped them and set off back to Kanpur. He apparently did not realise that Lucknow Police and an STF team were already following the car. As soon as they reached Nagpur, the police took the driver into custody and began questioning him. He said he had dropped the three near the railway station. This became the biggest lead for the police.

Shraddha had used a burqa to hide her identity. She probably thought that in disguise she would escape the police, but CCTV cameras at the railway station foiled her ploy. Lucknow Police went through the footage with the help of Nagpur Crime Branch. It showed two women and a man leaving in an e-rickshaw. The footage also showed a woman in a burqa, and the car driver had already said that Shraddha was wearing one.

The police then began tracing the e-rickshaw's route. The links in the investigation fell into place and the team reached the Chinchbhuvan area. The three had got off the e-rickshaw here and entered a residential locality. From the morning of October 19, the police began searching nearby apartments and houses.

Reaching the accused hiding in the residential area of Chinchbhuvan was not easy. The police gathered details of each apartment and house one by one. Technology and AI were also used in the search. Finally, on the afternoon of October 20, the police reached an apartment where inquiries confirmed that two women and a man had arrived by e-rickshaw.

The police became certain that the absconding accused were hiding here. The team reached the flat in question and tried to get the door opened, but Shraddha, who was inside, did not open it. Crime Branch officers then contacted senior officers. On getting instructions, the police broke down the door. Inside were Shraddha Dubey, her sister Rashmi and the driver Danish alias Tanveer Ali. All three were arrested.

Shraddha had been hiding in this flat for about 36 hours. According to sources, she was preparing to leave soon for another hideout. The police surrounded her before that.

There has also been talk about Shraddha Dubey in political and administrative circles in Uttar Pradesh. According to sources, it has been said that she has contacts with several influential people. It has also emerged that the police have found several important leads related to Shraddha in the investigation of the Shiva Sharma murder. However, the findings of an official investigation into her alleged contacts and the role of others are yet to emerge.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken the murder seriously. Lucknow Police are working to get to the bottom of the case and expose the entire conspiracy behind the killing.

Nagpur Crime Branch handed Shraddha Dubey, her sister and the driver over to Lucknow Police. After obtaining transit remand from the court, the process of taking the three to Lucknow for further investigation was completed. The police will now question them to find out the reason for the murder, the alleged conspiracy and the role of other people who may be involved.

The burqa and a hideout in Nagpur are now behind her, but the entire conspiracy behind the Shiva Sharma murder is yet to be exposed.