Kolkata Businessman's Body Found In Jute Sack, Business Partner Held

The body of a missing businessman was recovered from underneath a water tank on the outskirts of the city, a police officer said on Wednesday. The body of Bhavo Lakhani, who lived in Ballygunge area here, was found in a jute sack beneath the tank at the residence of his business partner, Anirban Gupta, on Tuesday, the officer said.

The body was found during a police raid on Gupta's house, prompted by suspicions from neighbours who noticed sudden construction activity around the tank in Nimta area, on the northern fringes of the city, around 3am, police said. Following interrogation after his arrest, Gupta allegedly confessed to striking Lakhani forcefully on the head with a cricket wicket during a heated argument on Monday morning at his residence, and subsequently concealing the body in a jute sack, the officer added.

Forensic tests and a post-mortem examination revealed that the deceased had been subjected to physical assault, with visible injury marks on the body, including the head. The officer said that inquiries indicated the accused had borrowed a significant amount of money from the deceased but had failed to repay it over an extended period. Lakhani purportedly visited Gupta's residence early on Monday to discuss the "recovery of the money," but his mobile phone became unreachable shortly afterward, the officer said based on preliminary investigations.

In response to a query, the official said it remained unclear whether more than one person was present at the scene when the murder occurred, but it was apparent that multiple people were involved in attempting to conceal the body. Both the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, responsible for Nimta, and the Kolkata Police, where the deceased businessman resided, were investigating the incident and the sequence of events leading up to it and thereafter.

(PTI)