Man gets life term for 2016 murder of Congolese wife Cynthia Vechel

A Ranga Reddy court has sentenced Rupesh Kumar Mohanani to life imprisonment for murdering his Congolese wife Cynthia Vechel in 2016. He allegedly strangled her, dismembered the body and set the remains on fire near Madanapalle. DNA and CCTV evidence led to the conviction.

Hyderabad: Nearly a decade after the sensational killing of a Congolese national woman and the burning of her dismembered body, a court has convicted her husband and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The Tenth Additional District and Sessions Judge, Rajendra Nagar, Ranga Reddy District, convicted Rupesh Kumar Mohanani (45), a private employee and resident of Gachibowli, in connection with the murder and also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on him.

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The case came to light on July 4, 2016, when villagers of Madanapally, Shamshabad noticed smoke and flames rising from an isolated area near Green City Venture. They found a Ford EcoSport stuck in the mud and Mohanani near the vehicle along with his minor daughter, Sania. Nearby, dismembered human body parts were found burning, after which the villagers alerted the police. The woman was identified as Cynthia Vechel, a Congolese national and wife of Mohanani.

According to the police, Mohanani had married Cynthia in 2008, and the couple had a daughter. After they moved to Hyderabad, marital disputes reportedly arose, including over Cynthia’s desire to leave India with their daughter and her contact with a former boyfriend in France. Following a heated quarrel on the intervening night of July 3 and 4, 2016, Mohanani allegedly throttled Cynthia to death at their residence.

Police said he subsequently dismembered the body using an axe and knives, packed the remains into bags, and transported them in his car to an isolated location near Madanapalle. He allegedly poured petrol over the body parts and set them on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence and evade the law.

During the investigation, police collected CCTV footage, material evidence, and forensic samples. DNA examination helped establish the identity of the deceased and link the accused to the crime. After a full-fledged trial, the court found Mohanani guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment and a Rs 25,000 fine.