- Shalu Manocha was released after being wrongly accused in her father-in-law's murder case
- She described her 21 days in custody as the most difficult period of her life
- Subrat, her husband, was arrested and confessed to planning the murder over property fears
Shalu Manocha, whom the Kanpur police had initially identified as the mastermind behind the high-profile murder of her father-in-law, Kanpur-based pharmaceutical trader Vineet Manocha, has been released from jail after receiving relief from the court. Shalu described her 21 days in custody as the most difficult and agonising time of her life, noting that longing for her son was what troubled her the most.
"Those 21 days were the worst days of my life. Days I will never forget as long as I live. It was a very difficult time for me. My family supported me immensely. I myself cannot understand what happened or how it happened. Everything was over in an instant. My household, my home, my family, everything was left behind," said Shalu.
"Every moment, morning and evening, I was haunted by thoughts of my son. I couldn't sleep without him. His image was constantly before my eyes," she added.
Vineet, 60, was stabbed to death at his Ratan Orbit apartment in Kanpur's Kalyanpur on September 5. During the initial investigation, the police identified Shalu as the mastermind and arrested her alongside their former employee, Vishal Gautam, and his associate, Rajkishore.
However, the police later discovered that the alleged killer had made six calls to Vineet's son and Shalu's husband, Subrat, from a newly purchased SIM card. Subrat was subsequently arrested on September 23.
During interrogation, Subrat confessed to plotting the murder because his father had relationships with several women, and he feared his father would move in with another woman and transfer all his property into her name.
Following her release, Shalu expressed complete faith in God and her family during the ordeal.
"I had faith in my God and in Guruji. I trusted my lawyer and my family. My lawyer, Shivakant, helped me secure justice. He stood by the truth and ensured I got justice. Truth prevailed. I am deeply grateful to all of them," said Shalu.
Police alleged that Subrat and Vishal had attempted to divert suspicion onto Shalu.
"I do not want to discuss Subrat's role in this. I have nothing to say. The police and administration are doing their work and will ensure justice and truth prevail. Beyond that, I have no further comment," said Shalu.
"My family has supported me immensely. Even the local MLA, Neelima-ji, has provided great support. I would like to thank them with folded hands. I thank everyone who stood by me," she added.
Speaking about her future after her release, Shalu said she has not made any decisions yet, noting that she simply needs time to regain her composure.
"I haven't thought about my future yet. Please give me some time to get back on my feet. That is all I request from you all," she said.
(With inputs from Vivek Shahi)
