He tried three times to kill his wife. The fourth time, he hired contract killers and staged a suicide

A double ligature mark on Geeta Chaudhary's neck — and a Bombay High Court order for exhumation — unravelled what Powai police had initially recorded as a suicide, exposing an alleged Rs 6 lakh contract killing plot by her husband.

What was initially believed to be a case of suicide in a Powai apartment has now unravelled into an alleged contract killing, with investigators claiming that a man plotted his wife’s murder after three earlier attempts to eliminate her failed.

Mumbai Police have arrested Sakharam Chaudhary, 40, and three associates for allegedly conspiring to murder his wife, Geeta Chaudhary, 35, and then staging the crime as suicide by hanging her from a ceiling fan.

Chaudhary, a hardware shop owner and resident of Sangharsh Nagar in Chandivali, lived with his wife, their two children aged 12 and 5, and his parents.

The other arrested accused have been identified as Shankar Logarlal Dangi, Amarchand Gayri and Dinesh Gayri, all in their mid-twenties.

Affair and contract killing plot
According to police, Chaudhary was allegedly involved in a relationship with another woman and wanted to live with her.

Investigators claim he began planning his wife’s murder in 2024 and allegedly offered Rs 6 lakh to his associate Dangi, who then roped in two others.

Chaudhary rented a flat in another building in the same locality in August 2024 and began staying there with his wife and children.

Police said the conspirators allegedly made multiple attempts to kill Geeta before the final plan succeeded.

The first plan involved attacking her with a heavy object while returning from dinner through the Aarey Colony road.

However, the attempt was abandoned after the accused noticed people moving around in the area.

The second plan was to stage a fatal road accident, but investigators said this failed because Geeta routinely used the footpath while walking her son to and from school.

A third attempt allegedly involved pushing her from a running train, but this too could not be executed.

Investigators say that the three associates entered the house and strangled her.

Chaudhary later arrived and the accused allegedly hung the body from the kitchen ceiling fan to make it appear as a suicide.

The incident came to light when the couple’s 12-year-old son returned from tuition and found the door locked.

After he called his father, Chaudhary arrived, opened the door and informed the police that his wife had died by suicide.

Geeta was found hanging with a nylon rope in the kitchen.

Sakinaka police initially registered an accidental death report and sent the body to Rajawadi Hospital for postmortem.

After the funeral, Geeta’s father Bhanaram Chaudhary approached the Rani police station in Pali district of Rajasthan alleging foul play.

A murder case was registered there on October 18, 2024 and later transferred to Mumbai as the incident had occurred within the jurisdiction of Sakinaka police station.

The victim’s father, who lives in Ambarnath, also filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking exhumation and re examination of the body.

Following the court’s order, Geeta’s body was exhumed on January 8, 2025 and examined by a medical board.

Chemical samples collected earlier were also sent to the forensic science laboratory in Kalina for analysis.

Forensic clues expose strangulation
The initial Rajawadi Hospital report had listed the cause of death as death due to hanging.

However, doctors had noted certain observations that required closer scrutiny.

Subsequent expert review by doctors at Sir JJ Hospital found two separate ligature marks on the victim’s neck, an unusual finding in typical suicide cases.

According to police, the marks differed in direction, length and width and the skin between them showed signs consistent with rope slippage.

Investigators said such findings suggested the possibility that the victim had been strangled before the body was hung.

Following the forensic review, Sakinaka police questioned the husband in first week of February.

During interrogation, investigators claim Chaudhary confessed to orchestrating the murder and hiring contract killers.

Police said he allegedly paid Rs 6 lakh in cash and transferred Rs 70,000 through Google Pay to Dangi.

Based on Dangi’s interrogation, the other two accused were arrested.

Officials said bank transaction records and digital payment trails are being examined as part of the investigation.

All four accused are currently in judicial custody.

Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai.

His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.

Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for the nationally recognized daily, The Indian Express, providing his content with high Trustworthiness.

Geographical Focus: Provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of breaking news and investigative matters across Mumbai and the surrounding regions (e.g., Thane, Vasai).

Core Authority: His reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial beats, including:
Cyber & Financial Crime: Extensive coverage of sophisticated scams, including cases involving high-value cyber fraud, stock market manipulation scams, and fraudsters using government figures to gain trust.

Law Enforcement & Investigation: Reports directly on major police actions, including arrests made by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in fraud cases (e.g., MHADA flat scams) and detailed coverage of murder and kidnapping investigations.

Major Incidents & Public Safety: Covers significant incidents like building collapses, road accidents, and public safety issues such as theft at large public events.

Defence & Maritime: Also covers key updates regarding the Indian Navy, including the commissioning of new vessels and strategic defense announcements.

Manish Kumar Pathak's consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India.

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