UK pharmacist arrested for alleged murder attempts on ex-wife’s family in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Ajith Mupparapu, a 45-year-old pharmacist from the UK, has been arrested on suspicion of orchestrating multiple murder attempts targeting his ex-wife’s family in Hyderabad, India. Mupparapu is accused of hiring an assassin to kill his former mother-in-law by poisoning her with arsenic-laced chili powder. According to Mirror news, he is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, where he faces extradition to India.
Background of the Case
The investigation into Mupparapu began in 2023, following a series of alleged murder attempts targeting his ex-wife’s family. Mupparapu, residing in Maidenhead, Berkshire, is accused of orchestrating the plots from the UK, using local agents in Hyderabad, where his ex-wife’s family lives.
The charges against Mupparapu include multiple attempts to kill his ex-wife, Sirisha Muttavarapu, and her family members between January and August 2023.
The main victim in the case is Sirisha’s mother, Uma Maheshwari, 60, who Mupparapu allegedly poisoned. In June 2023, Mupparapu reportedly paid a food delivery driver 2,000 rupees (around £20) to deliver chili powder mixed with arsenic to Maheshwari’s home in Hyderabad. Maheshwari fell ill shortly after and died in July 2023.
Further tests on Sirisha’s family members revealed arsenic poisoning. Sirisha’s father, brother, and sister-in-law all tested positive for arsenic, leading authorities to suspect that the poison was intended for them as well. Sirisha herself was later found to have traces of arsenic in her blood.
In addition to the poisoning, Mupparapu is accused of planning other attempts on his ex-wife’s family members. He allegedly hired two young men to stage a traffic accident to kill a family member, but the plot failed. Mupparapu is also believed to have hired contract killers through an online portal to carry out a murder and attempted to use succinylcholine, a muscle relaxant, in another plan to kill a family member.
Sirisha, a doctor, has expressed profound guilt over her mother’s death, questioning why she could not identify the poisoning in time to save her. In an interview with a newspaper, she shared how the tragedy has affected her, even considering leaving her medical profession due to the overwhelming guilt she feels.
Telangana High Court Decision
The Telangana High Court reviewed a petition filed by Sirisha, seeking the cancellation of bail granted to the second respondent, A6, in the case. A6 is accused of being involved in the arsenic poisoning and other related crimes.
The case centers on the poisoning death of Sirisha’s mother, Uma Maheshwari, in July 2023. Investigations revealed that Sirisha, her father, brother, and sister-in-law tested positive for arsenic, and authorities suspected the poison had been mixed in their chili powder between March and April 2023, a time when Mupparapu had visited India. Mupparapu and A6 were the only ones with access to the family’s home during this period.
A key issue in the case arose over the bail granted to A6 on September 20, 2023, despite evidence suggesting arsenic poisoning. Sirisha’s legal team argued that the grounds for granting bail were based on incorrect information from the public prosecutor, which led to A6’s release. Sirisha’s counsel highlighted that the arsenic tests on her family members, as well as the investigation into her mother’s remains, were not considered in the decision.
The court also reviewed an attempt to inject succinylcholine, a muscle relaxant, into Sirisha’s father on June 25, 2023, which further implicated Mupparapu and A6 in the alleged poisoning plot.
On December 27, 2023, the Telangana High Court dismissed Sirisha’s petition to cancel A6’s bail. The court ruled that, while there was suspicion that Mupparapu and A6 may have mixed arsenic in the chili powder, there was insufficient evidence to prove that A6 procured the poison or deliberately poisoned the food. The court highlighted that suspicion alone was not enough to justify canceling bail without solid evidence.
