Bengluru Police have arrested a software engineer who allegedly killed his friend during New Year's celebrations and tried to pass it off as a suicide. The accused, Imdad Pasha (53), a resident of HAL, is charged with poisoning Uzma Khan (45) from Kacharakanahalli.

According to police, Uzma visited Imdad's flat on December 31 for New Year celebrations. Both were divorced and had planned to marry each other. However, their relationship soured when Uzma connected with an Australian citizen of Pakistani origin through a matrimonial website and decided to marry him instead.

After investigation, police found that Uzma's plans to marry someone else, plotted her murder. He allegedly mixed toilet cleaning chemicals in her food on New Year's Eve. The next day, he sent a video message to relatives claiming they were both committing suicide due to opposition from his ex-wife to their marriage.
When concerned relatives reached the flat, they found Uzma unconscious and Imdad in a semi-conscious state. While Uzma was declared dead at the hospital, the post-mortem report indicated she had died the previous night from poisoning.

The police grew suspicious when they discovered that Imdad had sent the suicide message 7-8 hours after Uzma's death.
During interrogation, Imdad confessed to the murder. Police also discovered he had installed spyware on Uzma's mobile phone to monitor her communications. A case has been registered based on a complaint by Uzma's brother, Himayat Khan.