Loot-murder case: Wife of accused held

LUCKNOW: A day after the arrest of Vinit Tewari, who had allegedly looted a cash van and killed a guard near Raj Bhawan in Hazratganj on July 30, his wife Soni Tewari was arrested on Monday for destroying evidences and helping Vinit Tewari in escaping from the police.
CO (Hazratganj) Abhay Mishra said Soni was arrested from near the roadways bus stand in Charbagh on a tip-off from an informer. “Soni had helped Vinit in changing the registration number plate of the motorcycle which he used in fleeing the scene after committing the crime.

She later helped Vinit in shifting the cash from their house in Krishna Nagar and hiding it at her sister’s house in Lalganj from where Vinit was arrested on Sunday morning. “Soni also purchased goods using the looted cash,” he said. The CO said that Soni has been booked for destroying evidence in a crime case.

Meanwhile, SSP Kalanidhi Naithani issued a circular to the public asking them not to give shelter to a criminal at their house and not protect them in any way as it may lead them to face legal action and even jail term.

Vinit Tewari, who was arrested on Sunday, said he had committed the crime because he came from a poor family and needed money to fund his daughter’s education.

On July 30, he reached near Axis Bank in front of Raj Bhawan Colony at 11.30 am found a cash van arriving at the gate of the bank. As the van driver took the van to the service lane on the opposite side of the road and parked it, Tewari tried to enter it. Security guard of the cash van Indra Mohan opened fire at Tewari who fired back, killing Mohan. Tiwati looted two cash bags before fleeing the scene.