Nainital Court Delivers Life Sentence in 2021 Live-in Partner Murder Case
The District and Sessions Court in Nainital has handed down a life imprisonment sentence to Mohd Imran, a 40-year-old property dealer, for the brutal murder of his live-in partner, Diksha Mishra, in August 2021. The verdict, delivered by Judge Prashant Joshi on Thursday, marks the culmination of a harrowing case that exposed a web of deception and violence.
Deception and a Fatal Trip to Nainital
According to court proceedings, Imran, who is also the father of an 8-year-old girl, concealed his true identity and religion, presenting himself as "Rishabh Tiwari" to befriend Diksha Mishra, a 41-year-old divorced woman. The two entered into a live-in relationship in Noida. In August 2021, they traveled together to Nainital for a holiday.
On August 14, 2021, the situation turned tragic when Imran strangled Diksha to death in their hotel room in the Mallital area before fleeing the scene. The murder came to light two days later when Diksha's friends, Shweta Sharma and Altamas, who had booked separate rooms at the same hotel, grew concerned after repeated unanswered calls.
Friends Discover the Crime SceneShweta and Altamas testified that when they called Imran on August 16, his phone was switched off, while Diksha's phone rang but went unanswered. Sensing something was gravely wrong, they accessed the room and discovered Diksha's lifeless body on the bed, with Imran nowhere to be found.
The Crucial Testimony of a 15-Year-Old Daughter
District Government Counsel Sushil Kumar Sharma presented a pivotal witness: Diksha Mishra's 15-year-old daughter. Her statement played a decisive role in establishing Imran's guilt and motives.
The minor revealed to the court that Imran frequently visited their Noida home. Shockingly, on August 16—the same day her mother's body was discovered—Imran arrived at their flat. He told the girl that her mother was waiting at her office and had sent him to retrieve a password she had "forgotten." He then proceeded to take papers from Diksha's cupboard before leaving.
Financial Disputes and Concealed IdentitySharma further elaborated that Diksha, who had been divorced since 2008, had ongoing financial disagreements with Imran. These tensions reportedly escalated during their Nainital trip, leading to the fatal altercation. The prosecution emphasized that Imran initially met Diksha through a property deal and cultivated their friendship by hiding his true religious background.
Comprehensive Evidence Leads to Conviction
The prosecution built a robust case, presenting a total of 17 witnesses, along with forensic laboratory reports, detailed call records, and WhatsApp chat histories. This evidence, combined with the daughter's compelling testimony, formed an incontrovertible narrative for the court.
Following the murder, police registered a case and subsequently arrested Imran from Ghaziabad, where he worked. After a thorough trial, Judge Prashant Joshi found the evidence sufficient to convict Imran of murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment—a stark conclusion to a case that underscores the tragic consequences of deception and domestic violence.
