A day after son’s arrest, Vasai doctor, uncle held in stepmother’s murder cover-up

According to police, Imran was addicted to the multiplayer online game and had previously borrowed money from his family to fund in-game purchases. Investigators believe his desperation for quick cash may have driven him to murder

MUMBAI: A day after arresting a 32-year-old man and his father for the brutal murder of a retired high court lawyer in Vasai, the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar (MBVV) crime branch on Monday took into custody a local doctor and the accused’s uncle for allegedly helping stage a cover-up and quietly bury the body.

A day after son’s arrest, Vasai doctor, uncle held in stepmother’s murder cover-up

The victim, 61-year-old Arshiya Khusro, was declared dead of “natural causes” hours after her stepson Imran Khusro allegedly smashed her head against a bathroom wall for refusing to give him ₹1.8 lakh to play an online game. The murder, say police, was not just cold-blooded—it was calculated, involving four men, a forged death certificate, and a hush-hush burial carried out before sunrise.

Nemnath Ghogre, assistant commissioner of police (Vasai), said the four accused – Imran, his father Amir Khusro, 64, uncle Salim Khusro, and Dr R R Garg – have been arrested for their role in the crime and the subsequent cover-up. They were produced before a local court on Tuesday and remanded to police custody for seven days.

Murder, robbery and a midnight burial

According to investigators, the crime took place on Sunday night around 10pm, when Imran visited Arshiya’s home in Vasai West and demanded the money. When she refused, he allegedly got into a violent argument, then slammed her head against the edge of a washbasin. As she lay bleeding on the floor, police said Imran ransacked her cupboard and stole her gold bangles and a chain, totalling two tolas in weight.

He then called his father Amir to the scene, who helped clean up the blood. Later, Imran’s uncle Salim was summoned. Salim, a resident of Evershine City in Vasai East, approached Dr Garg, who agreed to issue a false death certificate stating Arshiya had died of natural causes.

With the paperwork in hand, the family transported Arshiya’s body to a burial ground in Vasai West and quietly performed her last rites in the early hours of Monday—before most neighbours even knew she was gone.

Domestic help raised alarm

The crime began to unravel just hours later. On Monday morning, Arshiya’s domestic help arrived for work and noticed suspicious blood stains inside the home. When she realised her employer was missing, she alerted the Vasai police.

A crime branch team was quickly formed. Within 12 hours, both Imran and Amir were arrested. Their interrogation led officers to Salim and Dr Garg, who were picked up soon after.

ACP Ghogre said the investigation is ongoing. “We are still piecing together the exact sequence of events. Dr Garg’s clinic has been sealed, and we are verifying if this is an isolated instance or part of a larger pattern. We are also trying to recover the gold jewellery Imran stole from the house,” he said.

Police are now questioning those who attended Arshiya’s funeral to establish what they knew. Officers are also probing whether Imran had fought with his stepmother in the past or made similar financial demands.

Online addiction turns fatal

According to police, Imran was addicted to the multiplayer online game and had previously borrowed money from his family to fund in-game purchases. Investigators believe his desperation for quick cash may have driven him to murder.

Arshiya, who had retired from legal practice and lived alone in Vasai West, had reportedly supported Imran in the past but had grown distant in recent months.

“This isn’t just a case of theft or violence. It’s a chilling reminder of how digital addiction and family tensions can escalate into something truly horrific,” said an officer involved in the probe.

The MBVV police plan to reconstruct the crime scene and take the accused to the burial site for further evidence collection. Statements of Arshiya’s neighbours, relatives, and staff are also being recorded.