Daijiworld Media Network - Nagpur
Nagpur, Apr 15: In a shocking development, the city police on Sunday arrested Dr Anil Rahule, a doctor from Raipur, and his younger brother Raju Rahule in connection with the brutal murder of Dr Archana Rahule, a senior assistant professor at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur. The crime, as revealed by the police, stemmed from Anil’s growing suspicions about his wife’s fidelity.
Dr Archana, aged 50, was found dead in her Hudkeshwar residence on the night of April 12. A decomposed body was discovered after neighbours reported a foul smell emanating from her house. Archana had been living alone while her husband worked in Raipur and their son, Aditya, studied in Pune.
Anil Rahule initially claimed to have returned from Raipur on the evening of April 12, finding his wife dead with a head injury in what appeared to be a robbery gone wrong. However, inconsistencies in his statements soon caught the attention of investigators. Anil failed to explain why he had not attempted to contact his wife for several days, and his behaviour raised suspicions.
A deeper investigation, including phone records, revealed that Anil had been in Nagpur since April 9, contradicting his claim of being in Raipur. Further interrogation led to the revelation that Anil had premeditated the murder with the help of his younger brother, Raju, a farmer from Bhandara district.
Police investigations revealed that Anil’s mistrust of his wife had been escalating for months, leading to frequent arguments and even physical abuse. Archana had confided in her sister, Dr Nima Sonare, about her husband’s threats. Family sources said their son, Aditya, had tried to mediate but was unsuccessful.
The murder took place on April 9, when Anil called Raju to his house following another argument. Anil held Archana while Raju struck her on the head with an iron rod, killing her instantly. They staged the scene to look like a robbery and fled. The murder remained undetected until Anil returned and raised the alarm, pretending to discover the body.
The case took a breakthrough when investigators uncovered inconsistencies in Anil's timeline and behaviour. Senior officers, including Senior Inspector Dnyaneshwar Bhedodkar and ACP Narendra Hiware, led the investigation, which ultimately led to the confession of Anil and his brother.
Dr Archana was a highly respected academic, with a postgraduate degree in law and was pursuing her second PhD at the time of her death. Authorities confirmed that encrypted messages exchanged between the brothers over several months indicated that the murder had been planned in advance.
Both Anil and Raju have been taken into custody for further questioning, and investigators are continuing to explore other potential motives behind the crime. "Our preliminary investigation suggests the motive was Anil’s deep mistrust and jealousy. We are examining if there were any other contributing factors," said Ravinder Singhal, Nagpur’s Commissioner of Police.