It was just before 10 pm on Monday when Veena called her sister Reena. “Please, you have to get me out of here,” she was heard saying, according to family. She was afraid for her life and told Reena to take care of her six-month-old boy if the worst were to happen.
But it didn’t take long for the story to change. At 10:02 pm, only seven minutes after Veena’s plea, her brother-in-law was on the line with Reena to let her know his wife had come down from the terrace of their three-storey home. By the time they got her to a hospital, it was over.
Police action and case status
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sharad Bhaskar says they got a PCR about a woman falling from a building that night. They put together a case of dowry death and moved in on the suspects.
Raju Singh, 27, and his 22-year-old brother Rajkumar are in custody. An FIR has been put in at Inderpuri station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. We are also on the trail of a third man we believe is involved.
Here are the key developments so far:
– A distress call was made at 9:55 pm
– A second call reported a fall at 10:02 pm
– Husband and brother-in-law have been arrested
– Police registered a dowry death case
Family’s allegations and in-laws’ denial
The two sides of this story don’t match up. Veena’s side says there was a history of being hounded for dowry and roughed up. They say the brothers would make a show of the gifts they got for Rajkumar’s wife at his wedding in April – a 46-inch TV and a motorbike, no less – while chiding Veena for the 32-inch one they had given. There are even claims of a broken eardrum from an altercation.
They also put it to the in-laws that they were after a Royal Enfield Bullet. Veena, they say, was the one who put a stop to any police action in the past, not wanting to rock the boat.
The in-laws have none of it. Jaipal, the father-in-law, is quick to point out that every home has its share of bickering. He denies any of the accusations and says he was the one who put the couple in Delhi so they could have a good life.
Marriage, move to Delhi, and the final hours
Veena and Raju have been married for a little more than three years. They made the move from Sambhal in U.P. in 2023 and had a son.
What makes this case stand out is the timeline. You have a frantic call at 9:55 and then a report of a fall at 10:02. In between those few minutes is where the police will be looking for answers.
Why this case matters
This kind of thing is hard to ignore these days with the number of dowry deaths we see. It puts a spotlight on how well we are enforcing the law and stepping in when a domestic complaint comes in.
What comes next
For us, it’s a matter of sifting through the noise. One family is alleging harassment; the other is having none of it. We have the post-mortem from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, where the body was released to the family on Wednesday, and we have the statements. With two men in hand and another to find, we’ll be going over the call logs and everything that led up to the fall.
In the end, it’s not just about the charges. For the family, it’s about what happens to the baby. The evidence from that short, ugly window of time is what will decide the rest.
