Uttarakhand HC upholds life term for software engineer in Anupama Gulati murder case
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand High Court has upheld the life imprisonment sentence handed down to software engineer Rajesh Gulati, convicted for the brutal murder of his wife, Anupama Gulati. A division bench comprising Justice Ravindra Mathani and Justice Alok Mahra dismissed Gulati's appeal on Wednesday, affirming the lower court's judgment that found him guilty of killing his spouse and subsequently dismembering her body. The sensational case dates back to 2010, revolving around the relationship between Rajesh and Anupama, who had entered into a love marriage in 1999 before moving to the United States. After returning to India six years later, the couple settled in Dehradun, where their marriage reportedly deteriorated, marked by frequent quarrels. According to the police investigation, the tragic incident unfolded during a heated argument on the night of October 17, 2010. In a fit of rage, Rajesh allegedly struck Anupama, causing her head to hit the wall. She fell unconscious. Fearing repercussions and a potential police complaint once she regained consciousness, Rajesh reportedly took the extreme step of murdering her. Investigators revealed that the next day, Gulati purchased an electric saw and a deep freezer from a local market. He then proceeded to cut Anupama's body into 72 pieces, storing them in polybags inside the freezer. To destroy the evidence, he systematically disposed of the bags in remote areas outside Dehradun over time. The mystery surrounding Anupamas disappearance began to unravel on December 12, 2010, when her brother, Sujan Kumar, arrived in Dehradun. When questioned, Rajesh provided evasive answers regarding Anupama's whereabouts. Sujan Kumar subsequently filed a missing person report at the Cantonment Police Station. Acting on the complaint, police searched Rajesh Gulati's residence and made the gruesome discovery of body parts inside the deep freezer. Rajesh Gulati was immediately arrested. In September 2017, the Dehradun trial court convicted Rajesh Gulati, sentencing him to life imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs 15 Lakh. The court classified the crime as heinous, directing that a portion of the fine be deposited into the state treasury, with the remainder kept in a bank account for the benefit of their children upon reaching adulthood. Gulati challenged this conviction in the High Court in 2017, but the appellate courts decision came this week. This judgment reaffirms the commitment of the judiciary to delivering justice in the most heinous of crimes, commented a legal observer familiar with the proceedings.
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