UP polls: CBI accuses independent candidate Aman Mani of murdering wife

UP politician Aman Mani Tripathi had allegedly killed his wife Sara Singh by strangulating her, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has claimed in its charge sheet filed on Saturday.

The CBI has alleged Aman Mani staged a road accident of his car Hyundai i10 at Firozabad to claim that Sara had died of fatal injuries but she was strangulated in a nearby field and her body was placed in the car.

"During an investigation, it was found that after her marriage with the accused, Sara was allegedly being subjected to physical torture and cruelty by the accused," CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said.

The agency has levelled IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy, murder and dowry torture against Aman Mani.

The spokesperson said Aman Mani had killed Sara with a "premeditated plan" to get rid of her on July 9, 2015.

He allegedly framed a fake road accident and presented the same as the cause of death of Sara, Gaur said.

Aman Mani, son of former UP minister and murder convict Amar Mani Tripathi, is contesting assembly elections as an independent candidate from Nautanwa constituency in Gorakhpur.

Earlier, he was given ticket by the SP but after Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav took reins of the party his nomination was cancelled and Munna Singh was declared new candidate from the constituency.

Giving details of the charge sheet, the CBI sources said Sara was already dead when was shifted from the nearby field to the car and later on the Tata Magic vehicle in which she was taken to the district hospital, Firozabad.

"It was the (dead) body of Sara Singh and not injured Sara Singh who was transported from the accident spot to the district hospital," the sources said.

They said the claim of Aman Mani, that he and his wife met with an accident while trying to save a cycle-borne girl crossing the road, was found to be incorrect.

The sources said the agency is looking for other accomplices in the murder case and also the material used to strangulate Sara.

The agency has slapped charges of criminal conspiracy, murder and anti-dowry against Aman Mani.

"The CBI has today filed a charge sheet against an accused (husband of deceased) under section 498-A, 302, 201 and 120-B of IPC in the Court of Special Judicial Magistrate, CBI Cases, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) in a case relating to alleged murder of his wife Sara Singh," Gaur said.

He said the CBI had registered the case on October 19, 2015, on a request from the Uttar Pradesh government.

He said she was allegedly murdered on July 9, 2015, with a "premeditated plan" by Aman Mani to get rid of her.

Aman Mani was arrested on November 25, 2016, and is in judicial custody.

Aman Mani is the son of influential politician Amar Mani Tripathi and Madhu Mani Tripathi, both convicted in the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla in 2007 and serving life terms.

Amar Mani Tripathi who had stints in the Congress, BJP, SP and BSP was a minister under Rajnath Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav-led governments in Uttar Pradesh.