Police said Kamruddin, a resident of Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh, presented himself as a tantric and a Maulana. He had reportedly been operating tantra-mantra centres in Loni and Firozabad. Officials confirmed this is the first arrest in the case and further investigation is underway.
The bodies of Randhir (76), Shiv Naresh Singh (47) and Lakshmi Devi (40) were discovered on February 8 inside a car parked near the Peeragarhi flyover. A PCR call alerted Paschim Vihar East police station after passers-by noticed three individuals lying unconscious inside the vehicle.
When officers arrived, Randhir was found seated in the driver’s seat. Shiv Naresh Singh had been pulled out of the car by locals, while Lakshmi Devi was discovered lying in the rear seat. All three were rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where they were declared dead.
During a search of the vehicle, police recovered liquor bottles, cold drink bottles, empty glasses, mobile phones, Aadhaar cards, helmets, jackets and cash. The deceased were residents of Baprola, Nagli Dairy and Jahangirpuri. Family members ruled out suicide and raised suspicion, prompting a detailed probe.
According to investigators, Kamruddin had been in contact with the victims for nearly a year. CCTV footage from the day of the incident allegedly shows him seated in the front passenger seat of the car. Call detail records and electronic surveillance indicate frequent communication between the accused and the trio in the days leading up to the incident.
Police said the victims had travelled to Loni in Ghaziabad a day before their deaths and again on the day of the incident. Kamruddin allegedly boarded their vehicle in Loni as they returned to Delhi. Investigators believe he administered poisoned sweets during the journey, abandoned the car near the flyover and escaped with money.
Location data and technical analysis reportedly confirmed his presence with the victims at the time.
Kamruddin has previously been named in two murder cases in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, police said. Authorities are now examining whether others were involved and reconstructing the exact sequence of events.
