Five Arrested in Ghatkopar for Murder of 35-Year-Old Woman

Pant Nagar police have arrested five people, including a Ghatkopar woman and a former domestic maid, for allegedly murdering 35-year-old Sapna Ganji and attempting to portray her death as a household accident.

The arrests were made a day after a murder case was registered against Sapna's mother-in-law, Dhanalakshmi Ganji. Police stated that Dhanalakshmi allegedly planned the killing and offered Rs 3 lakh to the former maid and her family members to execute the crime.

The matter came to light following a complaint filed by Sapna's father, Rajendra Vallal, 63. Vallal stated that around 12:37 am on Monday, he received a phone call from Sapna's father-in-law, Bhikshapati, claiming that Sapna had slipped in the bathroom, sustained head injuries, and was taken to Rajawadi Hospital.

When Vallal and his wife arrived at Rajawadi Hospital around 2:00 am, they were informed that Sapna had died. Dhanalakshmi allegedly claimed to Vallal that an argument broke out after a domestic worker reported that Sapna had consumed alcohol and created a ruckus, following which Sapna slipped and fell in the bathroom.

However, upon examining his daughter's body in the mortuary, Vallal noticed a major injury to the back of her head, along with marks and bruises on her face, neck, and shoulders. Suspecting foul play, he alleged that the injuries were the result of an assault.

Vallal accused Dhanalakshmi of attacking his daughter due to resentment stemming from a previous domestic violence complaint lodged against the family. In his complaint, Vallal also alleged that Sapna had faced ongoing mental and physical harassment from her husband Pramod, her father-in-law Bhikshapati, Dhanalakshmi, and other family members since a few years after her marriage in May 2013.