Jharkhand, Delhi Police quiz Nirupama, Priyabhanshu's friends

Koderma(Jharkhand), May 8(ANI): Jharkhand and Delhi Police teams jointly quizzed three common friends of Nirupama Pathak and Priyabhanshu Ranjan over the former's mysterious death at her home in Koderma last month.

Following a Jharkhand court directive, the state police has lodged a complaint against Priyabhanshu, the boyfriend of the deceased Business Standard scribe.

The court directed the police to file a First Information Report (FIR) against Ranjan, following charges levelled by Nirupama's arrested mother Subha Pathak.

Speaking to the media, Koderma Superintendent of Police, G Kranthi Kumar on Saturday said that an FIR was lodged by the police last evening and investigations are on.

Taking cognisance of Subha Pathak's petition, the Chief Judicial Magistrate N K Agarwal has asked Tilaya Police to file the FIR under IPC Sections 306 (abetment to suicide), 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 420 (cheating) against Priyabhanshu Ranjan.

Twenty-two-year-old Pathak was found dead on April 29 in her parents' house.

Nirupama's mother has described her daughter' death as a suicide case.

However, the post-mortem report revealed that Pathak died due to asphyxia as a result of smothering. A 10 to 12 week-old foetus was also found during the autopsy.

Suspecting the death to be a case of honour killing, the police had arrested Subha. (ANI)