Key Suspects in Jubilee Hills Murder Case Remain at Large After Three Months

Three months after the murder of Tanuja Ranjan at her residence in Prashasan Nagar, Jubilee Hills, the prime suspect and key members of a murder-for-gain gang remain at large. While Hyderabad police have arrested two suspects and recovered part of the stolen property, the alleged mastermind and main assailants are believed to have fled into Nepal.

Tanuja, wife of retired IPS officer Vinay Ranjan Ray, was killed in the early hours of May 8 while her husband was away in Bengaluru. According to police, domestic help Kalpana, recorded as Dharma in Nepal records, allegedly facilitated the entry of her associates into the residence. Tanuja was tied up and gagged during the robbery, ultimately dying of suffocation before the gang fled with gold ornaments and cash.

In the wake of the crime, police formed 10 special teams consisting of personnel from the law and order, crime, Task Force, and cybercrime wings. The gang reportedly traveled from Nampally railway station towards Kazipet before splitting into separate groups to avoid detection. Officials later suspected that Kalpana and her associates crossed over into Nepal.

Police have arrested two suspects, Sunil Periyar and Dileep Biswakarma, and recovered some of the stolen gold ornaments. However, Kalpana along with key associates Ganesh and Suresh Shahi remain unapprehended. Police teams sent to the Nepal border and other States found their efforts futile due to the porous nature of the border.

The continued delay in arresting the prime suspects in a high-security locality has raised questions regarding the investigation. Former CBI Director M Nageshwar Rao also expressed concern over the delay, pointing out in a communication that his batchmate Vinay Ranjan Ray’s wife was brutally murdered at their Prashasan Nagar residence and questioning the urgency given to the case.

A police official stated that authorities are now planning to approach the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs to take up the matter with Nepal authorities to help trace and bring back the suspects.