Suspect arrested in Haryana Congress worker Himani Narwal’s murder says she was blackmailing him: 'Extorted lakhs of rupees…’

Police have arrested a man in connection with the gruesome murder of a young Congress worker in Haryana. The suspect, identified as Sachin, was arrested in Delhi on Monday, two days after Himani Narwal’s body was found stuffed in a suitcase near a bus stand in Rohtak district.

Sachin, a resident of Haryana’s Bahadurgarh (located some 50 kilometers away from Delhi), reportedly told police that he and Himani had been in a relationship. Her mobile phone and jewellery were also recovered from him.

Sachin has alleged that Himani had been blackmailing him and had extorted lakhs of rupees from him. He said she was demanding more money, and confessed to killing her at her residence in Rohtak’s Vijay Nagar.

On Saturday, Himani’s body was found near the Sampla bus stand – just one day ahead of municipal elections across the state.

Her body was sent to the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) Rohtak for a post-mortem examination and a police investigation was launched.

The incident triggered a massive uproar in political circles as several prominent Congress leaders demanded an investigation in strongly-worded statements.

Himani’s family has said they would cremate her on Monday. “We want death penalty for the accused,” Himani's brother Jatin told news agency ANI.

Himani’s mother Savita had earlier said that fellow Congress members might have been involved in her murder. “Some people in the party might be involved in the murder, as they may have felt threatened by Himani’s rising political career,” she told India Today.

Congress leaders say Himani was an active worker of the party and had been involved in several major events including Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra.