Model Shraddha Dubey, the prime accused in the murder of Shiva Sharma, has revealed details of her escape route and admitted that her boyfriend, Amir, had helped her evade the police, according to officials.

During hours of interrogation, Dubey disclosed several details but remained silent on certain aspects of the case. She was subsequently sent to jail. Investigators suspect that she kept her driver, Danish, with her to prevent him from revealing her secrets. She used him as a shield and a means of facilitating her escape.

In her statement to the police, Dubey admitted to travelling to Kanpur and Agra. On October 18, she reportedly visited a hotel in Kanpur to book a room. However, when the hotel staff asked her to produce identification, she left without completing the booking.

Dubey feared that if her photograph went viral following the murder case, the hotel staff might recognise her and inform the police. She subsequently booked a car and left for Nagpur without staying at the hotel.

She managed to evade the police for 11 days. Although she was fond of staying in large, luxurious hotels, she reportedly chose smaller hotels and lounges where identification documents were not required to avoid disclosing her identity.

Dubey also travelled to Rae Bareli but could not reach her home. Fearing that she might flee abroad, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) issued a lookout circular.

During interrogation, Dubey reportedly admitted that Amir had been accompanying her since Lucknow and had helped her enter Nepal through Bahraich. Following her statement, the police are likely to add Amir’s name to the First Information Report (FIR). Preparations are also underway to announce a reward for information leading to his arrest.

According to the DCP (Central), investigators are identifying people who allegedly helped Dubey and the other accused evade the police. Strict action will be taken against those found assisting them.

Investigators have also learnt that Dubey remained in contact with several people at the locations she visited. Police suspect that someone was continuously guiding her and helping her avoid arrest.

The DCP personally interrogated Dubey for hours. During questioning, she reportedly refrained from naming anyone and repeatedly complained of difficulty in breathing and speaking.

Meanwhile, Dubey was arrested in Nagpur by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Lucknow Police, officials said on Tuesday.

She had been on the run since October 9, when Sharma allegedly fell from the balcony of an apartment in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area. His death was initially treated as an accidental fall, but later became a suspected murder case after his family alleged that he had been assaulted and tortured before being thrown from the building.

Delhi Police have arrested a 41-year-old man for cheating a garment manufacturer of approximately Rs 2 lakh on the pretext of supplying ready-made garments and sewing machine materials, officials said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Pawan Kumar Dugar, a resident of Badarpur in Delhi, was apprehended by the Cyber Police Station of Shahdara district following a technical investigation. Police also recovered a mobile phone used to contact the complainant.

According to the police, the case was registered following a complaint by Neeraj Kumar Jain, who is engaged in manufacturing ready-made garments and dealing in garment-related materials.

The complainant said that on July 6, he was contacted by Dugar, who posed as a supplier of ready-made garments and sewing machine materials. The accused persuaded him to place an order by claiming that the required goods were available for delivery.

To gain the complainant’s confidence, the accused shared catalogues, invoices and transport-related documents. He also repeatedly assured the complainant that the ordered goods would be dispatched and delivered on time.

Relying on these representations, Jain transferred approximately Rs 2 lakh through multiple transactions. However, the promised goods were never delivered, and the money was not refunded, leading to the registration of a cyber fraud case.

During the investigation, technical analysis helped the police establish leads regarding the accused’s whereabouts in Badarpur. A dedicated team from Shahdara’s Cyber Police Station subsequently conducted a raid and apprehended him.

The team comprised Sub-Inspector Sunil Dev Sihag, Head Constable Ravi Malik and Head Constable Sandeep. The operation was conducted under the leadership of Inspector Vijay Kumar, Station House Officer of the Cyber Police Station, and the overall supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), Shahdara.

During the operation, the police recovered a mobile phone associated with a number allegedly used to contact the complainant.

Further financial scrutiny revealed that bank accounts linked to the accused had surfaced in six cybercrime complaints involving multiple victims and suspected fraudulent transactions worth lakhs of rupees.

According to the police, the investigation indicated that the accused allegedly acted as the caller and was directly involved in the fraudulent dealings.

Further investigation is underway to trace the complete money trail, identify additional victims and establish the full extent of the alleged fraud.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and invited him to light a torch along with “heroic Indian pilot” Captain Smit Machchhar on the country’s Independence Day.

During the phone call, PM Modi and Netanyahu also reviewed the sustained momentum in bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the partnership between both countries.

“Received a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We reviewed the sustained momentum in our bilateral ties and reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthening our partnership. We also exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region,” PM Modi wrote on X after the phone call.

Netanyahu said that PM Modi thanked him for the invitation and expressed India’s readiness to cooperate with Israel in fighting terrorism.

“I spoke with my friend, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and invited him to light a torch together with the heroic Indian pilot on the Independence Day of the State of Israel. Modi thanked me for the invitation and said that on the ground and in the air, India and Israel fight terrorism together. He expressed his appreciation for the courageous and long-standing relationship between us,” Netanyahu posted on X.

Machchhar sustained severe injuries during an attack by the Omani co-pilot on a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight on September 30. The co-pilot allegedly attempted to take control of the aircraft, following which Machchhar fought him off and managed to unlock the cockpit door.

The move allowed crew members and passengers to enter the cockpit and restrain the attacker, averting what could have been a major disaster. The flight was carrying more than 170 people.

On October 3, Netanyahu held a telephonic conversation with Captain Smit Machchhar and hailed him as a “true hero” of the people of India, Israel and the whole world. He invited Captain Smit Machchhar and PM Modi to light a celebratory flame on Israel’s Independence Day.

“Captain, I want to invite you and my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to light a celebratory flame on our next Independence Day. You are a true hero of the brave peoples of India and Israel, and you’re a hero of the entire world,” Netanyahu told the Captain Machchhar.

“I wish you a very speedy and complete recovery,” he added.

The Israeli Prime Minister said the honour was usually reserved for his country’s own citizens. However, he added, “But I think here in this case, all the citizens of Israel will embrace you. They do now and they will then too.”

Netanyahu, who was told by the pilot how the attack unfolded in the cockpit, said he was amazed by his conduct.

“I’m amazed at your courage, at your coolness of judgment under impossible conditions,” the Israeli Prime Minister said, adding that what the Captain did was remarkable and that it bordered on the miraculous.

Netanyahu said the pilot had saved more than the lives of those on board.

“You saved so many souls. I think you saved something bigger. You saved the spirit of the world to realise that a brave pilot and brave passengers can overcome this evil, however threatening, however violent. It’s something that is being justly hailed around the world,” Netanyahu said.

“You’re a hero of Israel. You’re a hero of India. You’re a hero of the entire world,” he added.

Inviting the Captain again towards the end of the conversation, Netanyahu said: “So we hope to see you very soon in Israel. I look forward to seeing you here again. But under the circumstances, I think this will be a memorable and historic visit.”

“Thank you for everything you did,” the Israeli Prime Minister told the Indian pilot.