Delhi: Inspector who first probed case kept in touch with accused kin

In 2011, Ritesh Sharma was a sub-inspector when his superior officer received the case file of Neetu Solanki, whose body was found outside the New Delhi Railway Station. The case was later transferred to several inspectors, but Sharma constantly kept in touch with the family members of absconding Raju Gehlot, who was the prime suspect.

For the last three days, Sharma had been on leave, and was planning to go out of station when he received a call from Gehlot’s relative on Wednesday morning. The relative informed him that Gehlot called his mother on Tuesday and told her that he was admitted in a hospital.

READ | Had changed identity: Untraced till date, accused in 2011 Neetu Solanki murder dies in Gurgaon

Sharma, now an inspector, swung into action and informed his seniors. He reached his office and then headed to Gurgaon to conduct a raid in the hospital where Gehlot was admitted. “After reaching there, doctors informed us that he died Wednesday due to organ failure,” he told The Indian Express.

Sharma said, “We conducted several raids, but he remained elusive. I remained in touch with his family members and used to call them every few weeks….

“My senior officer, Additional CP Ashok Chand, was heading our unit when we got this case. Even on his retirement day, he was unhappy we couldn’t solve it,” he said.