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UK Pharmacist Accused of Poison Plot Against Wife's Family
21 Apr
Summary
- Pharmacist allegedly used arsenic-laced spices to poison family.
- He paid a delivery boy Rs 2,000 to deliver the poisoned items.
- The UK is seeking to extradite the pharmacist to India.
A UK-based pharmacist of Indian origin, Ajith Kumar Mupparapu, is fighting extradition from London to India to face charges related to a poisoning plot. India accuses Mupparapu of orchestrating the murder of his mother-in-law, Uma Maheshwari Muttavarapu, and the attempted murder of his ex-wife, Dr. Sirisha Muttavarapu, and her family.
The alleged conspiracy involved purchasing sodium arsenite and paying a Swiggy delivery boy Rs 2,000 to leave poisoned chilli and salt outside the family's Hyderabad apartment. The plan came to light in early June 2023 when family members suffered severe diarrhoea and vomiting after consuming meals at the flat. Uma Maheshwari died in hospital on July 5, 2023, with other family members found to have high levels of arsenic in their systems.
Mupparapu reportedly had disputes with his father-in-law over agricultural land and had previously attempted to hire contract killers and conspire with others to harm him. His estranged wife, Sirisha, who lives in the UK, reportedly endured verbal and physical abuse, including towards their daughter and a pet, after their marriage in June 2018.
Mupparapu is contesting his extradition, citing concerns about inadmissible evidence, insufficient proof, trial delays, prison conditions, and potential torture in India. His sister, a chemistry teacher in Hyderabad, allegedly assisted in procuring the arsenic.
