The suicide case of a married woman in Jaipur took a fresh turn on Wednesday after PWD executive engineer Gautam Meena, accused of abetting the suicide of his wife Anu Meena, released a video statement denying the allegations against him. Meanwhile, police stated that he is absconding and should cooperate with the investigation.
Background of the Case
Four days after Muhana police registered a case of abetment to suicide against Gautam, he released the video on social media, claiming he never harassed his wife for money and that efforts were being made to turn his children against him. Anu Meena (36) died by suicide on April 7 at the couple's residence in Balaji Vihar under Muhana police station limits. Nearly a month later, her brother lodged an FIR accusing Gautam of mentally and physically harassing her and driving her to suicide.
Police Investigation and Evidence
Police said the complainant submitted CCTV footage allegedly showing Gautam assaulting his wife and damaging an LED television during a domestic dispute. The footage has been included in the investigation. DCP (south) Rajarshi Raj Verma stated that the ACP Mansarovar office is investigating the case. "He should come and cooperate in the investigation rather than releasing these videos," Verma said.
Gautam Meena's Claims
In the video, Gautam claimed that nearly 70% of his property was registered in Anu's name and insisted he never troubled her financially. “If a fair investigation is conducted, the truth will come out,” he said. He further detailed the events of the incident day, stating he was traveling towards Chomu and had spoken to Anu twice over the phone. According to him, she hinted at taking an extreme step, after which he contacted neighbor Digvijay and asked him to rush to the house. “The neighbor reached there, but it took time to break open the gate. By then, Anu had died,” he said.
Gautam further claimed that a 500-square-yard plot in Patrakar Colony and another plot in Chomu were registered in his wife's name. He also mentioned gifting her a Skoda car on her birthday last year. Without naming anyone, he alleged that his in-laws took away jewelry, valuables, and the DVR system from the house after the incident and claimed he was being blackmailed using CCTV footage.
Current Status
Police continue to urge Gautam to surrender and participate in the investigation. The case remains under scrutiny as authorities examine the evidence, including the CCTV footage provided by the complainant.
