Ghaziabad condo murder: No strangers to violence, how couple had fatal fallout; faced charges in murder case

GHAZIABAD: Around two decades ago, Rubby and Vikash married in a traditional ceremony in Modinagar, starting out as a seemingly happy couple. But beneath the surface, tension simmered, fuelled by family feuds and a thirst for revenge.

In April 2019, Rubby’s brother, Deependra, was shot dead in a dispute linked to local business rivalries. The accused, Akshay Sangwan, was arrested, but Rubby was consumed by the desire for revenge. She enlisted her husband Vikash’s help, and together they hired two contract killers for Rs 6 lakh to murder Akshay. After Akshay was released on bail for health reasons, Rubby and Vikash plotted his movements. On 24 August 2019, Akshay was ambushed and shot dead in his car in Modinagar, hit by more than seven bullets.

The shooters were arrested along with Vikash, but Rubby went into hiding. A reward was announced for her capture, and she was eventually arrested 13 days later. Their criminal records grew. In 2020, both Vikash and Rubby faced an FIR under the Gangster Act, and Vikash had charges of attempted murder against him. Rubby was also named in a criminal intimidation case in 2023. Their time in jail deepened the rift between them.

Rubby was released on bail in February 2021, but Vikash remained behind bars until March 2024. During this period, Rubby sold her mother’s property to buy a flat in Ajnara Integrity in Raj Nagar Extension, where she lived with their two daughters. Vikash, feeling abandoned and resentful that Rubby had not helped secure his bail or visited him even once after her release, grew increasingly bitter. When Vikash finally came out, their relationship had deteriorated beyond repair.

Vikash struggled with alcoholism and was eventually thrown out of the Ajnara flat by Rubby and their daughters. According to police sources, Vikash was desperate to obtain his passport and other documents, hoping to leave the country after selling his property in Modinagar. The final act of their story unfolded on Tuesday morning. Vikash arrived at the Ajnara flat as Rubby prepared breakfast and their younger daughter, Navya, got ready for school.

CCTV footage showed Vikash repeatedly ringing the doorbell before forcing his way inside. An argument erupted over the passport and other documents, escalating into a physical struggle. When Rubby refused to hand over the documents, Vikash pulled out a gun. Despite their daughter’s desperate pleas, he shot Rubby at close range in the kitchen before fleeing. Neighbours, alerted by the gunshot, found Rubby oozing blood and rushed her to hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival. Navya, traumatised, recounted to police how her father’s anger over the documents had led to the fatal confrontation. Until late on Tuesday night, Vikash was yet to be arrested.