Death For Sale: Rs 50,000 To Turn Murder Into Suicide In Sambhal's Postmortem Mafia

News18

5 hours ago

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A racket now under police scrutiny has led to the arrest of seven individuals and the investigation of over 32 government doctors for allegedly altering death reports for money.
She was discovered hanging. Her bruises suggested murder, yet the report stated suicide. In Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, such contradictions are no mere coincidence – they are transactions valued at Rs 50,000. This is the cost to transform a murder into a suicide, erase signs of torture, or fabricate injury details on official postmortem and medical reports. A racket now under police scrutiny has led to the arrest of seven individuals and the investigation of over 32 government doctors for allegedly altering death reports for money.
The scam revolves around a nexus of pharmacists, ward boys, and doctors who allegedly modified crucial medical and postmortem findings for cash. The racket was exposed in a shocking case involving 19-year-old Manju, whose death was falsely reported as a suicide. Her family allegedly strangled her and paid Rs 50,000 to a pharmacist and a ward boy to manipulate the postmortem report.
The key suspects, Madhur Arya, a pharmacist at Bahjoi CHC, and Yash Sharma, a ward boy and computer operator, have been arrested. Investigators discovered incriminating WhatsApp chats and transaction records via GPay and PhonePe on Arya's phone, revealing a pattern of systematic tampering in potentially hundreds of cases.
The Case That Exposed It All
On May 31, Manju was found hanging at her home in Hardaspur village. While her family blamed her boyfriend Pramod, police found inconsistencies. Mobile location data showed the accused weren't near the scene, but Manju's father, brother, and relatives were. Further investigation revealed suspicious calls made by the family just before her death.
During interrogation, Arya confessed that Manju's family had killed her and staged a hanging. Arya ensured the postmortem report indicated strangulation as the cause of death to frame her boyfriend. A deal was struck for Rs 50,000. Arya, Manju's father Chandrakesh, her brother Dharmendra, and relatives Jaiprakash and Pravesh were arrested. Yash Sharma, who reportedly edited the report digitally, was arrested days later.
How the Racket Worked
The operation functioned through informal networks. Bereaved or accused families approached intermediaries like Arya. Deals ranged from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1 lakh, depending on the severity of the case. Sharma, as the computer operator, had access to the postmortem report system and altered findings – changing 'strangulation" to 'hanging," erasing signs of injury, or inflating minor wounds.
Communication and payments occurred largely via WhatsApp, Google Pay, and PhonePe. Files were often edited and uploaded onto official portals, bypassing verification. In many cases, doctors allegedly signed reports without verifying the contents.
Evidence and Police Action
Arya's phone revealed hundreds of chats detailing payments and requests for tampered reports. 'There were clear instructions on what to write and what to delete. Some chats even discussed altering injury photos," a senior officer said. Sharma's device, though mostly wiped clean, still had data pointing to three confirmed manipulations.
Police arrested seven people including Arya and Sharma, and flagged 32 doctors for suspected involvement. Sambhal DM Rajendra Pensia held a closed-door meeting with local doctors, presenting the evidence. Some doctors reportedly apologised and pledged not to repeat the misconduct. While Arya was suspended and Sharma dismissed, most doctors received verbal warnings. A three-member inquiry panel has been formed to probe further.
Suman's Case: A Vanishing Injury Report
In Junawai, another woman, Suman, was found dead with visible injuries and a broken arm. However, her postmortem cited hanging with no external injuries. Arya's chats revealed this case too may have been tampered for a fee. Police now plan to reopen the case.
Reforms in Process
Sambhal SP Krishna Vishnoi told News18, 'From now on, we will print and hand over crime scene photographs to postmortem doctors to prevent alterations. We've also recommended changes in the online medical portal to flag suspicious edits." While some damage control is underway, the bigger question remains whether such forgery is limited only to Sambhal.