Top News

The hit-and-run death of an 82-year-old man in Nagpur has been uncovered as a deliberate murder, allegedly planned by his daughter-in-law to acquire family property worth Rs 300 crore. Archana Manish Puttewar, an assistant director in the town planning department, was detained last week, more than two weeks after her father-in-law, Purushottam Puttewar, was killed by a car.

A police officer disclosed to PTI that Puttewar allocated about Rs 1 crore for the murder. "She financed the purchase of a used vehicle for the perpetrators to run over her father-in-law, aiming to disguise the murder as an accident. The motive appears to be to gain control over property valued at Rs 300 crore," the officer stated.

The 53-year-old is accused of conspiring with her husband's driver, Bagde, and two other individuals, Neeraj Nimje and Sachin Dharmik. The police have charged all involved with murder and other related offenses under the IPC and Motor Vehicles Act. During the investigation, authorities seized two cars, gold jewelry, and mobile phones.

On the day of the incident, Purushottam Puttewar was returning from a hospital visit to his wife, Shakuntala, who was recovering from surgery, when he was struck by the hired vehicle. Archana’s husband, Manish, is a doctor.

Additionally, the investigation has revealed significant irregularities in Archana Puttewar's work in the town planning department. Despite multiple complaints, no action had been taken against her due to her political connections. She is accused of violating regulations and approving illegal layouts. Her arrest on such serious charges may lead to a more extensive investigation into her professional conduct.