Kolkata businessman allegedly murdered by associate; two arrested

As per Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, a businessman by the name of Bhavo Lakhani, hailing from Kolkata’s Ballygunge area in West Bengal, was reportedly murdered by his business associate at the latter’s residence in the Nimta area, situated on the northern outskirts of the city. Anirban Gupta and his associate Suman Das have been detained in connection with the crime.

Gupta allegedly borrowed Rs. 50 lakh from Lakhani for procuring medicines for Lakhani’s wholesale business. Subsequently, Gupta called Lakhani to his home on Monday, promising to repay the borrowed amount. Following a missing person report filed by Lakhani’s family, an investigation was launched.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Gupta enticed Lakhani to his residence on Monday and attacked him upon arrival, leading to Lakhani’s death. While the Detective Department suggests that Lakhani was fatally assaulted with cricket equipment discovered at Gupta’s residence, Commissioner Goyal mentioned that this aspect is still under investigation.

Following the murder, Lakhani’s body was hidden beneath a water tank on Gupta’s roof, enclosed within a brick chamber. Suman Das attempted to mislead investigators by answering Lakhani’s phone calls, claiming to have found the phone elsewhere in the city. However, both suspects confessed to their involvement during interrogation.

Additionally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the victim’s family to offer condolences. Expressing shock at the brutality of the incident, Banerjee pledged swift and decisive action from the police, even canceling a planned rally in Siliguri to address the situation promptly.