Police Probe Points To Alleged Plot To Get Rid Of Soujanya
Police probing the deaths of engineer T. Nooka Raju, his wife and daughter Soujanya suspect an alleged plot to eliminate Soujanya over property. Police are also investigating claims that cyanide was purchased in Hyderabad.
Police interrogation of Shaik Sadiq Khan in connection with the death of panchayat raj engineer T. Nooka Raju, his wife Meena and their daughter K. Soujanya has reportedly revealed that allegations of torture and harassment made by Soujanya in her dying declaration were largely true.
According to police sources, Sadiq Khan allegedly sought to get rid of Soujanya after believing that the assets held in the names of Jagadeeswara Reddy and Soujanya would eventually come to him. He allegedly coerced Soujanya to convert to Islam, promising to take care of her and her son if she agreed, but she refused.
Police sources said some assets had initially been transferred to Sadiq’s name following Jagadeeswara Reddy’s death, but the transfer could not be legally completed due to a delay in issuing the family certificate. After the incident involving Soujanya, property documents were reportedly handed over to another person for safekeeping.
In her dying declaration, Soujanya alleged that Sadiq initially became close to her family and her son, but later began blackmailing and assaulting her. She alleged that he had assaulted and threatened her husband and subsequently killed him by administering a chemical poison brought from Canada.
Soujanya further alleged that Sadiq threatened to kill her and her parents, claimed that senior police officials were in contact with him and threatened to sell her son to terrorists. She also alleged that he had once attempted to kill her at sea.
Based on the suicide note, Jagadeeswara Reddy’s father, Kovvuri Bhaskara Reddy of Ravulapalem, also lodged a complaint against Sadiq and Soujanya.
Meanwhile, police reportedly received information that Sadiq had purchased cyanide from a goldsmith in Hyderabad. A police team went to Hyderabad to question the goldsmith.
Police officials said it would be established after taking Sadiq into custody whether he had purchased cyanide, why he had bought it and whether it was used in Jagadeeswara Reddy’s death or to threaten Soujanya’s family.