Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 22 (IANS): The 24-year-old son of a jeweller allegedly murdered his mother and looted valuables worth over Rs one crore from her house in the Saroj Nagar Colony of Aligarh

The accused, Yogesh, and his three associates, including two women, were arrested on Sunday and the stolen gold, diamond and silver jewellery was recovered from them.

According to the police, jeweller Kuldeep Verma's son Yogesh, a commerce graduate, was living separately in a rented accommodation for the past six months after he tied a knot with a married woman, Sonam, against his parents' wishes. He was also jobless.

He had asked his mother Kanchan for money on several occasions but she refused.

Facing financial issues, Yogesh chalked a plan to loot his own house. His wife, Sonam, friend, Tanuj Chaudhary and Tanuj's girlfriend, Shehjal Chauhan, were all part of the plot.

On Friday, Yogesh first dropped his pregnant wife at a doctor's clinic for a check-up and then went to his parents' house with Tanuj and Shehjal. While they dropped Shehjal a few metres away from the house to keep an eye outside, Yogesh and Tanuj went inside after Kanchan opened the door for her son.

During interrogation, Yogesh confessed that he told his mother that he had come to pick his clothes and then strangled her with her saree. They later dragged her body to the bathroom and cut a geyser pipe to make it look like an accident.

An unconscious Kanchan was found in the bathroom by a neighbour, who called on her and found the main door open.

She immediately informed the police who took her to hospital, where she was declared brought dead.

Kanchan's husband, Kuldeep Verma, was in his shop at the time of the incident.

Circle officer (CO) Anil Samaniya told reporters that Yogesh had confessed to his crime and the looted jewellery worth Rs one crore along with Rs one lakh cash has been recovered from them.

The CO said that the cutter used to cut a locker has also been recovered. He added that they all were booked under IPC sections 302 (murder), 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).