ABHM Leader Puja Shakun Pandey Arrested in Bharatpur for Aligarh Businessman’s Murder

Main accused in Abhishek Gupta killing case had been absconding since September; carried ₹50,000 bounty

Aligarh, October 12, 2025 — The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested Puja Shakun Pandey, a senior office-bearer of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) and the main accused in the September 26 murder of Aligarh businessman Abhishek Gupta, from Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

Pandey, who had been on the run for over two weeks, was brought back to Aligarh late Saturday evening and is currently being interrogated, police officials confirmed. She carried a cash reward of ₹50,000 for information leading to her arrest.

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The Murder and Investigation

Abhishek Gupta, a 25-year-old two-wheeler showroom owner, was shot dead in Roravar area of Aligarh while boarding a bus to Hathras. According to police, the attack was executed by two hired shooters, Mohd Fazal and Asif, who were allegedly contracted by Puja Shakun Pandey and her husband, Ashok Pandey, ABHM’s national spokesperson.

The couple allegedly offered the killers ₹3 lakh for the murder after initially negotiating for ₹5 lakh. The Pandeys are said to have provided a photograph of Gupta to the assailants before the attack.

Superintendent of Police (City) Mrigank Shekhar Pathak told reporters that the conspiracy was premeditated. “We have traced call records showing 27 calls between Ashok Pandey and shooter Fazal in the two months leading up to the murder, and 11 calls between Ashok and Puja while she was absconding,” he said.

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All Key Accused in Custody

Ashok Pandey and both shooters are already in judicial custody. Police arrested Fazal last week, while Asif—carrying a ₹25,000 bounty—was nabbed on October 3 from near the Delhi–Kanpur highway in Shah Kutubpur.

Investigators revealed that both shooters had known the Pandey couple for 7–8 years, having done welding work at their Aligarh residence just a month before the murder. It was during this period that the contract was allegedly finalized.

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Motive and Complaint

Gupta’s father lodged the FIR at Roravar police station, naming Puja and Ashok Pandey as the prime suspects. The complaint mentioned strained relations between the Pandeys and Gupta, though the exact nature of their dispute remains under investigation.

Police sources said the probe is examining whether financial or personal enmity led to the murder.

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Controversial Background

Puja Shakun Pandey, who also claims the religious title of ‘Mahamandleshwar’, is no stranger to controversy. She made national headlines earlier for publicly glorifying Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, during a 2019 event in Aligarh.

Her arrest marks a significant breakthrough for Uttar Pradesh Police, which had launched a multi-state search operation involving teams from Aligarh and Bharatpur in coordination with Rajasthan authorities.