Meerut: Wife, lover sentenced to death for killing husband, staging it as snakebite

New Delhi: A Meerut court on Friday sentenced a woman and her lover to death for strangling her husband and placing a snake beneath his body to pass off the murder as a snakebite death.

The court of Additional District Judge-12 had convicted Ravita and her neighbour, Amardeep, of murder and criminal conspiracy on October 7.

The victim, Amit Kashyap, also known as Mikky, was found dead at his home in Akbarpur Sadat village on April 12, 2025. His family initially believed a snakebite had killed him after they found a snake trapped beneath his body.

Medical findings expose murder

Injuries around Kashyap’s neck and scratches on his body prompted suspicion. A post-mortem examination established that strangulation had caused asphyxia, leading to his death.

According to the prosecution, Ravita and Amardeep had a relationship and planned the killing. After strangling Kashyap, they placed the snake beneath him to hide the crime and divert the investigation.

The snake was captured and kept in a container. Prosecutors said snake charmers who examined it found that its venom sac had been removed. Police also questioned the person who allegedly supplied the snake before arresting the two accused.

Phone records establish contact

Police submitted a chargesheet of more than 500 pages. The prosecution examined over a dozen witnesses during the trial.

Additional District Government Counsel Farzana said the post-mortem findings and mobile phone records formed crucial evidence. She said Ravita and Amardeep spoke more than 70 times in the four days after Kashyap’s death.

Investigators also traced over 500 calls between them through a phone number Amardeep used to contact Ravita, according to the prosecution.

The SIM card was registered in the name of Sonu, a Jagriti Vihar resident. He told the court that he neither used the number nor knew either convict.

Prosecution seeks capital punishment

During arguments on sentencing, District Government Counsel KK Chaubey sought the death penalty for both convicts. He cited the preparation behind the killing and their attempt to destroy evidence.

Chaubey urged the court to consider their motive, intentions and the manner in which they committed the murder. The prosecution also referred to the Shabnam murder case and judgments of the High Court and Supreme Court.

Farzana and Balraj Singh, the lawyer representing Kashyap’s family, also argued for capital punishment.