Wife, son murder man in Sangli to claim ₹1cr insurance, arrested

Sangli police have arrested a woman, her son, and an accomplice for allegedly murdering a man to claim his ₹1 crore insurance, initially staging his death as an accident.

The accused—Vanita Baburao Patil, her son Tejas Baburao Patil, and his friend Bhimrao Ganpatrao Hulwan, all from Shirdhon in Kavathe Mahankal—were arrested on March 1.

Tejas, a social media expert, and his mother had pressured Baburao Patil (56), a debt-ridden farmer, to die by suicide. When he hesitated, they killed him.

The incident occurred between 2 am and 3 am on February 10 along the Miraj-Pandharpur highway near Landewadi. Baburao’s body was found near Hotel Arya, and his brother Sagar Patil rushed him to a government hospital, where an accidental death was initially recorded.

However, discrepancies in Vanita and Tejas’ statements raised police suspicion. “Telephonic data and CCTV footage placed them near the crime scene, contradicting their claim of being in Karad,” said Jyotiram Patil, police inspector, Kavathe Mahankal police station.

During interrogation, the accused confessed. “Baburao had mounting debts of ₹50 lakh, including a home loan, and the family faced constant harassment from lenders. When the bank issued an auction notice, Vanita and Tejas pressured him to end his life for insurance money,” police said.

Baburao had four insurance policies, including a ₹1 crore term plan. Though he attempted suicide by stepping onto the highway, he couldn’t go through with it. Frustrated, Tejas and Bhimrao followed him in a car. When Baburao hesitated again, they forcibly smashed his head against a road divider and dumped his body to make it look like an accident.

“Though Vanita wasn’t at the crime scene, she masterminded the plan,” said assistant police inspector Amol Shivsharan.

The trio has been booked under Sections 103(1), 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).