Shraddha Dubey arrested in Nagpur over Lucknow businessman Shiva Sharma death case

Police teams from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have arrested model and social media influencer Shraddha Dubey, her sister Rashmi Dubey, and their driver Tanveer Ali in Nagpur, bringing a swift end to an 11-day cross-state pursuit.

The arrests, confirmed by law enforcement officials on Tuesday, follow a coordinated operation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), Lucknow Police, and the Nagpur Police Crime Branch. The three had been sought in connection with the death of 28-year-old cafe owner Shiva Sharma, who died on 9 October after falling from the fourth floor of Awadh Green Apartments in Lucknow's Hazratganj area.

Multi-state tracking and police coordination

Investigators tracked the suspects across several states after they went missing shortly after the incident. Search operations covered border points near Nepal in Bahraich district, as well as locations in Agra and Lucknow, before intelligence led officers to Nagpur, where the trio was taken into custody.

To ensure a rigorous and transparent investigation, Uttar Pradesh authorities intensified search protocols, issued non-bailable warrants, and doubled the reward for actionable information on each suspect from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000. Administrative realignments were also implemented within Lucknow's central police division to maintain complete focus on solving the case.

Key figures in the investigation

Conflicting statements under scrutiny

Following the incident, Sharma's mother, Ranjana Sharma, lodged a formal complaint alleging that her son was assaulted and murdered. Law enforcement officers registered a case covering murder and related charges, recovering physical evidence from the apartment complex as part of ongoing forensic checks.

While evading police, Dubey released video statements claiming that Sharma died by suicide due to financial difficulty. Sharma's family firmly rejected those claims, stating that he was subjected to physical harm before his death. With the prime accused now in custody, investigators are proceeding with formal questioning and procedural transfers to advance the trial.