LUCKNOW Amid Lucknow Police’s claims of a hot pursuit, fugitive model and influencer Shraddha Dubey — the prime accused in the Shiva Sharma murder case — surfaced in a nearly four-minute video interview with news agency ANI from an undisclosed location on Sunday evening, flatly denying all charges even as investigators maintained they were pursuing leads to track her down.

This video came more than 48 hours after her other videos surfaced where she purportedly claimed she didn’t flee and wanted to surrender. (File Photo)

Her brazen media appearance capped a day of high drama in the state capital, where speculation had kept police and media waiting outside the Hazratganj police station since morning for a rumoured surrender. Instead of turning herself in, Dubey went on camera to claim that 28-year-old Sharma died by suicide after jumping from the fourth floor of her Balu Adda apartment on October 9.

Meanwhile, the police doubled the reward for information leading to Shraddha’s arrest from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000, signalling an escalation in efforts to trace her.

An SUV registered in her name was earlier found abandoned near Rupaidiha, close to the India-Nepal border.

Shortly after the interview aired, Hazratganj SHO Vikram Singh — under whose jurisdiction the murder was registered — was shunted to the reserve police lines. The reason for his removal was not immediately clear, and it could not be established whether the action was connected to handling of case.

Shraddha’s appearance came days after police claimed to have traced her suspected movements to Nepal amid an intensified manhunt.

This video came more than 48 hours after her other videos surfaced where she purportedly claimed she didn’t flee and wanted to surrender. The police have yet to publicly establish Shraddha’s current location or clarify whether the latest media interaction has generated a fresh lead in the search.

In the latest video interaction, Shraddha put forward an extended defence without disclosing her whereabouts or appearing before investigators. The development raised fresh questions about the progress of the police search, particularly after claims that teams were closing in on the wanted accused and pursuing leads across the India-Nepal border.

The interview came on Sunday, when speculation was rife that Shraddha might surrender before Hazratganj Police, where the murder case was registered. She did not turn up. Instead, she appeared before this news agency to reject the allegations and claimed that Sharma died by suicide after jumping from the fourth floor of the apartment near Balu Adda.

DCP (central) confirmed that the information about one of the accused’s surrender application was received and relevant action is being taken.

Shraddha’s appearance did not establish whether she was in Nepal or returned to India. Nor was there any publicly confirmed indication that she surrendered or was questioned by investigators.

But her ability to address the media from an undisclosed location, while remaining beyond the police’s reach, put the effectiveness of the manhunt under scrutiny.

Police go soft on ‘Nepal theory’

Till Saturday, Lucknow police, which was saying they are in constant touch with Nepal police and their teams are raiding possible hideouts in Nepal, was seen soft on their Nepal theory.

When asked by reporters on Sunday about her latest location, they didn’t specifically say anything.

DCP (central) Vikrant Veer and CP Tarun Gauba earlier said police teams were actively working to trace the accused and were close to locating them. They had declined to disclose operational details, saying that sharing information could provide crucial inputs to the accused.

Police sources had earlier said Shraddha’s location was traced to Mahimnagar in Nepal and that three teams were sent across the border to pursue leads.

Shraddha refutes allegations

In the video interview, Shraddha claimed that Sharma had jumped from the fourth floor of her building and questioned why CCTV recordings from the premises had not been made public. She argued that the footage could establish what happened on the night of the incident and prove her innocence.

Sharma, 28, died on October 9 after falling from the fourth floor of a building near Ballu Adda in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area. His mother, Ranjana Sharma, accused Shraddha and others of involvement in his death, following which a murder case was registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The influencer also disputed the allegations made by Sharma’s mother and rejected claims that a diary had exposed details of the case.

Shraddha said she had known Sharma for around four months and that they had been friends for approximately two-and-a-half months. She claimed he had started visiting her residence about two months before his death.

She alleged that Sharma had debts of around ₹16-17 lakh and was troubled by calls from creditors.

She also claimed that he had taken jewellery worth ₹5-6 lakh from her residence about a month before the incident and had promised in a video to return it. Neither the alleged debt nor the jewellery-related claims have been independently verified.

Explaining why she left while Sharma was being taken to hospital, Shraddha said she was experiencing breathing difficulties and had personal reasons for leaving.

She appealed to the police and judiciary to ensure a fair investigation, arguing that nobody should be declared guilty before the probe is complete.

DCP attached to police HQ

DCP (Central) Vikrant Veer was attached to police headquarters on Sunday, hours after Hazratganj SHO Vikram Singh was sent to police lines under whose jurisdiction the Shiva Sharma murder case was registered against fugitive model and influencer Shraddha Dubey.

Sources linked the latest action to an alleged goof-up by Lucknow police in handling developments surrounding the case. However, the precise nature of the alleged lapse and the official reasons for Veer’s removal were not immediately clear.

The action came amid a day of high drama surrounding reports that Shraddha could surrender before the police, triggering heightened activity around Hazratganj police station and the Sultanganj police outpost. Despite the buzz, she remained untraced.

The action against the DCP (Central) indicated that the administrative fallout could extend beyond the police station level as scrutiny over the handling of the case intensified.

The developments come as the police continue their search for Shraddha, with the reward for information leading to her arrest doubled to ₹50,000 and her flat sealed as part of the ongoing investigation.

The alleged police lapse that prompted the latest action could not be independently verified. Officials had not issued a detailed explanation for Vikrant Veer’s attachment to police headquarters till the filing of the report.

Bizman’s mother questions probe, writes to CM

Shocked by the video appearance of Shraddha Dubey, who has been accused in the murder of her son Shiva Sharma, Ranjana Sharma on Sunday questioned how did the social media influencer remain elusive for days while managing to appear before a news agency, even as police continued their search for her.

“It is shocking. She has been accused in my son’s murder, and the police have been looking for her. Yet, she has now appeared before a news agency. The police have still not been able to trace her. Yeh sochne ki baat hai… (this is something to think about),” Ranjana told HT.

She questioned the effectiveness of the police search, pointing out that a reward of ₹25,000 had initially been announced for information leading to Shraddha’s arrest before it was doubled to ₹50,000. A non-bailable warrant had also been issued against the accused, yet she remained untraced, Ranjana said.

Ranjana also pointed to how well-dressed and composed Shraddha appeared while speaking to the news agency.

She said the latest developments had shaken her confidence in the UP Police. “Until yesterday, I used to think UP Police was the best. But after what has happened today, I have begun to doubt that,” she said.

Expressing dissatisfaction with how the case unfolded, she questioned how the accused could remain beyond the police’s reach for so long and then appear before a major news agency.

She said she had written to the chief minister, seeking a fair investigation into her son’s death. The letter was sent through BJP MLA Neeraj Bora, who represents Lucknow North, she added.