Lucknow Cafe Owner’s Death: Live-in Partner, Sister Wanted in Murder Case

LUCKNOW: The investigation into the mysterious death of 27-year-old cafe owner Shiva Sharma in Lucknow has taken a fresh turn, with a video allegedly featuring his live-in partner, model-influencer Shraddha Dubey, circulating widely on social media.

In the video, Dubey denies involvement in his death and maintains that he died by suicide. Police are examining the authenticity of the footage while continuing efforts to trace the accused.

Seven days after Sharma fell from the fourth floor of a residential building in the Hazratganj area, three people named in the murder case remain at large.

Police have announced a reward of ₹25,000 each for information leading to the arrest of Dubey, her sister Rashmi and Tanveer Ali, a driver who has also been named as an accused.

Sharma died on Friday night after falling from the apartment building. According to the account provided in the case, he was found wearing only his undergarments, and lipstick marks were reportedly noticed on his body.

The circumstances surrounding the fall have prompted his family to allege that he was murdered.

Investigators have learnt that Sharma and Dubey had been living together in the Hazratganj apartment for approximately three months. Rashmi, Dubey’s sister and another accused in the case, reportedly began staying with them more recently.

Police have also found that Dubey is originally from Rae Bareli district in Uttar Pradesh and was previously married but had separated from her husband.

The sequence of events on the night of Sharma’s death is also part of the investigation.

According to his family, they received a telephone call from Ali on Friday evening informing them that Sharma had fallen from the building and had been taken to a hospital.

When the family arrived at the hospital, they discovered that he had died.

Sharma had visited his family home in Aliganj four days before his death, relatives told the police. His family suspects foul play and has alleged that he was subjected to harassment by the accused.

Acting on the family’s complaint, the Hazratganj police registered a murder case against Dubey, Rashmi, Ali and two unidentified individuals.

The investigation is continuing as police attempt to establish what happened inside the apartment before Sharma fell.

In the video being shared online, a woman purported to be Dubey says she wants to approach the police to explain her version of events. She insists that Sharma took his own life and denies having any involvement in the incident.

She also appealed to the media and social media users not to associate her with politicians or senior government officials.

According to the video, she argued that the presence of someone on her Instagram account should not be treated as evidence of a personal connection or used to fuel speculation about her relationships.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajnish Verma said the police were verifying the circulating video. He did not confirm its authenticity.

Sharma’s mother, Ranjana Sharma, rejected Dubey’s claims and maintained that her son had been murdered. She said the allegations could be examined properly if Dubey appeared before the police.

Ranjana Sharma also said she had learnt about her son’s association with Dubey only last month.

Until then, she had believed that the two shared an ordinary friendship, she said. Accusing the people named in the case of harassing her son, she reiterated the family’s demand for a thorough investigation into his death.

With the three named suspects still absconding and the disputed video adding another dimension to the case, investigators are now tasked with verifying the footage, tracing the accused and establishing the circumstances that led to Sharma’s death.

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