Kanpur millionaire's son under scanner, got 6 calls from shooter on night of murder - India Today

**Kanpur millionaire’s son under scanner after receiving six calls from alleged shooter on night of murder**

Kanpur police are probing the possible involvement of the son of local businessman Mukesh Sharma, a noted millionaire in the city’s textile sector, after investigators discovered that he received six telephone calls from the alleged gunman on the night of the homicide. The victim, 28‑year‑old software engineer Rohan Verma, was found dead with a single bullet wound in his apartment on 30 April 2024. Initial police reports indicated that the murder took place around 11 p.m., shortly after Verma returned from work, and that a suspect, identified only as “the shooter,” fled the scene in a white Suzuki Swift.

Forensic analysis of the victim’s mobile phone logs confirmed that a number linked to the shooter placed six calls to Sharma’s personal mobile between 10:45 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. on the night of the killing. When questioned, Sharma denied any prior contact with the shooter and claimed the calls were “missed or returned automatically by my phone’s voicemail system.” However, a senior police officer, Inspector Anil Kumar, said the call records “raise serious questions about the nature of the relationship, if any, between the two parties and warrant further interrogation.” The investigation is also focusing on a possible financial dispute, as Verma had reportedly been in negotiations with the Sharma family regarding a joint venture that collapsed weeks before the murder.

The case has attracted considerable media attention, with India Today reporting on the emerging leads and public demanding transparency. While no arrest has been made, the Kanpur Crime Branch has filed a formal “under‑scanner” notice against Sharma, restricting his travel and mandating regular check‑ins with authorities. Legal experts note that under‑scanner status does not imply guilt but is a precautionary measure to prevent tampering with evidence. The police have indicated that they will continue to trace the call origins, examine CCTV footage from the neighbourhood, and interview all persons of interest before deciding on charges.

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