Shimla: The Shimla district police have claimed to have cracked the sensational murder case of Manisha Mittal, arresting her brother Himanshu (also referred to in police records as Himank) Mittal and his business associate Govind for allegedly conspiring to kill her over a property dispute. Police said the investigation has revealed that the murder was pre-planned, with the accused allegedly hiring two shooters to execute the crime.
Manisha was shot dead on June 13 near Saraswati Paradise School in Sanjauli. Following the incident, the district police treated the case as a top priority and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder.
Addressing the media, ASP (City) Mehar Panwar said the SIT relied on technical evidence and sustained investigation to trace the accused. Within around 39 hours of the murder, police arrested the two alleged shooters, Ashish Ahlawat and Deepak, from Rohtak in Haryana. The two pistols allegedly used in the crime were also recovered from their possession.
During the investigation, police found that Manisha was involved in a property dispute with her brother Himanshu Mittal and Govind. According to investigators, Govind allegedly arranged the Swift car used by the shooters and transferred money to one of the accused, Deepak, to facilitate the crime.
Police said Govind fled abroad after the murder. Even after returning to India, he allegedly kept his mobile phone switched off and frequently changed locations to avoid arrest. Based on technical surveillance and continuous operations, police arrested him from Rohtak on June 28. A court subsequently granted a four-day police remand for further questioning.
The investigation further revealed that a few days before the murder, Himanshu Mittal had allegedly transferred around ₹8.5 lakh to Govind’s bank account. Police also claimed that Himanshu had access to CCTV footage from Saraswati Paradise School, enabling him to monitor Manisha’s movements. Investigators allege that this information was passed on to the shooters through Govind to help execute the murder.
Based on the evidence collected, police have identified Himanshu Mittal as the alleged mastermind behind the conspiracy. He was arrested from Rohtak on June 29.
ASP Mehar Panwar said that with the arrest of Himanshu and Govind, all accused allegedly involved in the murder conspiracy have now been taken into custody. She added that the case was solved through technical investigation, surveillance, and evidence-based policing, while further investigation is continuing to strengthen the prosecution. He reiterated that maintaining law and order and ensuring public safety remain the district police’s top priorities.
