TELANGANA:WHEN MUTTON SOUP SOLVED A MURDER CASE

December 13, 2017

Hyderabad: A simple, savoury bowl of mutton soup cracked a tangled love story in Hyderabad. A cup of mutton soup as a clue brought a 27-year-old lady nurse and her lover to book. Not only they had meticulously planned and perfectly executed a plot to get rid of her husband, but also have plotted to pass the paramour off as her husband through facial changes through plastic surgery.

M Swati, a nurse in a private hospital in Naagarkurnool town of Telangana, and her paramour Rajesh, a physiotherapist by profession, hatched a plan to get rid of her husband Sudhakar Reddy to live their life happily. Swati and Sudhakar were married for three years and had a baby. However, while undergoing physiotherapy, Swati's closeness with Rajesh increased.

According to the police, they had hatched a plan to kill Sudhakar. However, they were keen to see that nobody would grow suspicious about his physical disappearance from amidst them. So, the part-B of their plan was to injure Rajesh's face by pouring small amount of acid and changing his looks through plastic surgery.

Sudhakar Reddy with wife M Swati

They executed their plan in the wee hours of November 27, by injecting anesthesia injection to Sudhakar. When he fell unconscious, they both hit on his head resulting in his death. They took his body into the forests 20 km away from their house and dumped there.

Upon returning home, Swati executed the part-B of the plan by smearing acid on Rajesh's face. She then called Sudhakar's family members informing that unknown persons had poured petrol on Sudhakar's face. Sudhakar's brother lodged a complaint with the police and rushed him to a corporate hospital in Hyderabad for treatment. The hospital advised 'Sudhakar' plastic surgery. And, the family spent over Rs 5 lakh in the first two days.

Rajesh recovering in the hospital as 'Sudhakar'

However, scene suddenly reversed on the third day at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad. The hospital offered 'Sudhakar' a cup of mutton soup. Notably, as practice, mutton soup is given to patients undergoing treatment for burn injuries.

Sudhakar' refused to have it. He told the hospital staff that he is not used to having non-vegetarian food.

Sudhakar's family members were literally stunned to hear this as the real Sudhakar was actually fond of mutton.

"It was then, the family began suspecting him. They asked him to identify the family members. The 'fake' Sudhakar refused to open his mouth and conversed with them by writing on his palm", an official involved in the investigation said. The family lodged a complaint with the police seeking a probe. The cops questioned Swathi, who confessed to having murdered Sudhakar Reddy in a joint operation with Rajesh.

The cops arrested Swathi on Sunday and are ready to arrest Rajesh once he is discharged from the hospital after treatment.

Nagarkurnool DSP A Lakshminarayana said the duo have been charged with murder and concealing evidence.