Lawyer Anushka's husband gives himself up, police to seek remand

Police in Hazaribagh say the prime suspect in the death of Jharkhand High Court advocate Anushka Chakraborty has turned himself in. Kushagra Rudra Rana surrendered before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court on Thursday.

Sadar Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rupesh Kumar Singh confirmed that Rana had surrendered in court. Investigators are preparing a remand application so they can question him in custody.

Before the surrender, police had been looking for Rana, who had gone into hiding to avoid arrest. Police teams were dispatched to Jharkhand and two other states. Officials also initiated action to cancel his passport and arms licence and to seize his bank accounts.

On October 22, Anushka Chakraborty's body was discovered hanging in a suspicious manner inside Flat No. 304 at Gupta Complex in Hazaribagh. She was a practising lawyer at the Jharkhand High Court. After her death, her relatives accused her husband and other members of his family of harassing her over dowry and of murder, and they sought justice.

The household members went into hiding after the incident. Her family moved the Jharkhand High Court, and the court ordered that the case be investigated by a DSP-level officer.

In a video posted on social media shortly before his surrender, Rana held his in-laws responsible for his wife's death. He made serious allegations against them and rejected the charges levelled against him.

Rana claimed that his father-in-law repeatedly interfered in his business and mounted mental pressure on him to make him a director of the family company. He also said his in-laws imposed financial pressure and took money and valuables from him.

The video also named Manoj Mahto, described as a representative of Ramgarh MLA Mamta Devi. Rana alleged that Rs 7 lakh was transferred from the company bank account, along with Rs 10 lakh in cash, in connection with a claimed arrangement for a Jharkhand Public Service Commission exam.

Rana further asserted that Anushka had frequent disputes with another woman advocate in Ranchi over their relationship while she lived there.

These assertions are the accused's own claims. The investigation is continuing.