Varanasi: A goat was cremated, a fake death certificate procured and a Trayodasha ceremony held to convince everyone that a murder accused was dead. His wife claimed—and received—Rs 10 lakh in insurance money, while he continued to move from place to place and invest in trading and cryptocurrency. The elaborate charade allegedly involved two homoeopathic practitioners who had invested money with him and reportedly asked him to fake his death to claim the Rs 10 lakh insurance payout and also ensure recovery of amount they had invested through him. But after nearly 18 months on the run, Raju alias Rajkumar Rajbhar (38), an accused in the 2016 murder of a brick kiln owner, was arrested by Mau police.Mau ASP Anoop Kumar said police, during surveillance, found Raju in contact with his family. After tracing his location, Kotwali police arrested him in his native village, Khwajapur, on Sunday evening. During questioning, Raju allegedly revealed how he had staged his death to evade trial in the murder of brick kiln owner Yogesh Singh.According to police, Raju, a Class 10 pass-out, initially worked as a mason in Mumbai before switching to investment activities. He began investing his own money as well as funds entrusted to him by others in the stock market and cryptocurrency. In 2015, he had taken bricks from Singh’s kiln in Dohri Ghat but failed to clear the dues. The dispute allegedly led Raju and his associate, Sudarshan Rajbhar, to take Singh near a railway line and shoot him dead. Both later secured bail, but the trial continued.Police said Raju, fearing conviction and a possible life sentence, planned to disappear. Under pressure from investors, two of whom were medical practitioners, he allegedly conspired to stage his death to prevent financial losses and help recover the money invested with him.As part of the alleged conspiracy, Raju was taken to a hospital in an unconscious state, where doctors declared him dead. The group subsequently arranged a fake death certificate. After a funeral procession was held, Raju’s body was allegedly placed on a funeral pyre for photographs to support the claim of his death. It was then replaced with a goat before the pyre was set alight.Once the cremation was complete, the story was presented as proof that Raju had died. His wife performed the 13th-day death rituals, and claimed the insurance amount of Rs 10 lakh. Meanwhile, Raju continued to change his hideouts and work as an investor.Kumar said surveillance of Raju’s contacts with his family helped the Civil Lines team trace him after nearly 18 months on the run. During questioning, he allegedly admitted to the conspiracy. A fresh forgery case was also registered against him.Police said the role of the two homoeopathic practitioners was still under investigation and they would be arrested once their involvement in the conspiracy was established.The roles of those who prepared documents, including the death certificate, manipulated photographs or helped Raju evade arrest are also being examined. Raju was sent to judicial custody.
