Lucknow double murder-suicide case: Police probe Rs 1 crore divorce settlement demand

Lucknow, Aug 22 (IANS) The investigation into the double murder and suicide case that shook Lucknow has taken a new turn, with police examining a financial dispute between the accused and his estranged wife, including a reported demand for Rs 1 crore as part of their divorce settlement.

According to the police, 38-year-old Manas Vajpayee allegedly shot dead his wife, Divya Mishra, outside the ICICI Bank branch in Gomti Nagar, where she was employed.

The accused later allegedly returned home, killed his 28-year-old sister, Shiva Vajpayee, and subsequently died by suicide.

Investigators are now looking into documents related to the divorce proceedings between Manas and Divya.

Police sources said the couple had been married for around 12 years but had been living separately for more than a year.

Divya had reportedly filed for divorce last year, and investigators are examining allegations that she had sought Rs 1 crore as alimony or as part of the financial settlement.

According to NDTV, documents connected to the divorce case have been recovered and are being scrutinised by the investigating team.

The case was reportedly heard in a local court two days before the killings, during which the issue of the financial settlement allegedly came up.

Police are investigating whether the dispute over the divorce settlement could have contributed to the alleged crime.

Apart from the financial dispute, investigators are also looking into the strained relationship between the couple and disagreements related to Manas’s sister, Shiva, who was reportedly dealing with mental health issues.

Shiva was living with the couple, and police are examining whether frequent disagreements over her care and condition had further affected the relationship between Manas and Divya.

Meanwhile, Divya’s sister, Pragya Mishra, a well-known YouTuber, has accused Manas of physically abusing her sister during their marriage.

In a social media post on Friday, Pragya alleged that Manas would become violent with Divya over seemingly minor issues. She claimed that Divya had wanted to separate from him because of his allegedly cruel behaviour.

Pragya also raised questions about how Manas obtained the firearms allegedly used in the incident.

Police said Manas, who worked with the State Bank of India, had called Divya outside her workplace in Gomti Nagar on Thursday. The two reportedly spoke for a few minutes before Manas allegedly opened fire.

Divya was rushed to a hospital, where she was declared brought dead.

Police said Manas then allegedly returned to his residence and shot his sister before turning the weapon on himself.

Investigators also found that, before his death, Manas had posted a WhatsApp status claiming responsibility for the killings and making allegations against his wife.

Police are continuing their investigation into the sequence of events, the alleged financial dispute, the firearms used and other possible motives behind the incident.

–IANS

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