Kanker police on Tuesday said they have arrested four people, including the deceased man’s wife, in connection with a year-old murder that was earlier treated as a suspicious death. According to investigators, 32-year-old Mukesh Vishwas was given heavy doses of alcohol and, while unconscious, was killed by applying electric current using a tubewell wire.

Case reopened

The body of Mukesh, a resident of Dalli-Rajhara in Balod district, was discovered in the Bande area of Kanker on May 24, 2025. Initial post-mortem findings showed burn marks on both hands and fingers, and the cause of death was recorded as electrocution, but the case had remained unsolved due to lack of direct leads.

“Initial reports indicated accidental death, but irregularities prompted a fresh look,” said a senior police officer who asked not to be named. Superintendent of Police Nikhil Ashok Kumar Rakhecha later formed a special team to re-investigate pending leads and revisit forensic evidence.

Electronic trail, forensic work

Police said the breakthrough came after combined technical and scientific probes. Cyber cell analysis revealed frequent electronic communication between Mukesh’s wife, identified as Saraswati Vishwas, and one Indrajit Das (31). Investigators then pursued call and location data, and matched those findings with forensic traces from the scene.

“Using technical surveillance, electronic evidence and scientific analysis, we reconstructed the crime scene and established a link between the accused and the crime,” the officer said. Items seized during raids include a tubewell electric conductor alleged to have been used in the killing, mobile phones and other corroborative material.

Alleged conspiracy and motive

According to the police charge sheet, Saraswati and Indrajit were in a long-running extramarital relationship. Mukesh had reportedly been preparing to file for divorce, and domestic disputes over the relationship had escalated in recent months. Sources familiar with the probe said the couple’s personal tensions provided the motive for a planned murder.

Investigators allege that on the day of the crime the accused lured Mukesh to a hut in a field belonging to co-accused Ranjit Sarkar. There, the accused forced alcohol on Mukesh until he lost consciousness. The men then used an electric wire commonly used for tubewells to administer a fatal shock, the police said. Afterward, the group attempted to present the death as accidental.

Arrests and remand

The four accused — Saraswati Vishwas (wife), Indrajit Das (lover), Surendra Bachhad (28) and Ranjit Sarkar (39) — were arrested following coordinated searches in Kanker and Balod districts and subsequently produced before a magistrate, who sent them to judicial custody, police said.

Impact and wider probe

Local residents said the arrest has sent shockwaves through the Bande community, where Mukesh’s death had been the subject of rumours for months. “People had suspected foul play but the case went cold,” one neighbour said. “It’s a relief that police reopened it.”

Police added that the special drive has also led to fresh examinations of several pending blind murder cases in the district. Officials said their review has so far helped crack four old cases, including incidents registered from Narharpur, Tadoki and Durgukondal areas.

Next steps

Investigators say they will now seek to complete forensic profiling and finalize witness statements before filing a supplementary charge sheet. The case will be investigated under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder and criminal conspiracy.

“Further technical reports are awaited,” an officer said. “We will present all scientific and electronic evidence in court to ensure prosecution of the accused.”