Ahmedabad: For nearly seven months, Jagruti Goswami allegedly told family and neighbors that her husband Shantigiri was away for work. The charade ended on Sunday when the Ahmedabad crime branch uncovered the truth: Jagruti, with her lover Kantilal Sabaria, had killed Shantigiri in October 2025 and thrown his body into a canal. The crime occurred in Soladi village, Surendranagar's Dhrangadhra taluka, and was not a spontaneous act, investigators said. Jagruti had earlier attempted to hire a contract killer to eliminate her truck driver husband. Both Jagruti and Sabaria were arrested on Sunday.
The Affair and Failed Contract Killing
Police revealed that Sabaria was Shantigiri's friend and had known Jagruti for over 16 years. Sabaria and Jagruti were allegedly having an affair, which police believe was the cause of frequent fights between Jagruti and Shantigiri. About a year and a half ago, Jagruti allegedly approached a man named Yunus Memon from Deesa and offered him money to kill her husband. However, Yunus, who personally knew Shantigiri, chose to counsel him instead. Investigators said Yunus later sent Jagruti a photograph of Shantigiri sleeping and falsely informed her that the “work” had been completed. She allegedly paid him Rs 25,000 at Soladi village before realizing her husband was still alive.
The Murder on October 8
On October 8, 2025, during a quarrel, Shantigiri allegedly assaulted Jagruti. She then called Sabaria, who lived nearby. When Shantigiri attempted to strike her again, Sabaria held him from behind. During the struggle, Shantigiri's head hit a wall. Sabaria then strangled him while Jagruti pressed a pillow on his face. After the killing, Sabaria destroyed his friend's mobile phone and SIM card and hid the body behind a cot inside a room. Late that night, the accused threatened their acquaintance, Dipak alias Munna Rathod, into helping dispose of the body.
Disposal of the Body
Police said Sabaria arranged a car by calling his friend Lalit Patel, claiming he urgently needed it for medical purposes. At around 2:30 am, the accused allegedly dragged the body out of the house and loaded it into the vehicle. Dipak drove the van while Sabaria sat beside him. From the canal bridge near Rajpar village on the Dhrangadhra-Surendranagar road, they threw the body into the water below. Police say the corpse got stuck in the bridge's railings, but Sabaria kicked it into the canal.
Discovery and Investigation
On October 9, 2025, Surendranagar B Division police recovered an unidentified body from the canal and registered an accidental death case. The postmortem report mentioned cardiorespiratory arrest due to drowning and noted injuries on the back of the head and right elbow. Crime Branch officials later connected intelligence inputs, witness statements, and local inquiries to identify the body as Shantigiri's. During questioning, both accused confirmed the dead man's identity, police said.
Modus Operandi and Twists
- Shantigiri was killed in his own house on October 8, 2025. Sabaria strangled him while Jagruti pressed a pillow on his face.
- Sabaria destroyed the victim's phone and SIM card and hid the body inside the house for several hours.
- An acquaintance was allegedly threatened and forced to help transport the body.
- The body was dumped into a canal near Rajpar village to conceal identity and evidence.
- Earlier, Jagruti had asked a contract killer to eliminate Shantigiri. The killer, a friend of the victim, lied that the 'work is done'.
