Dubai - The UAE high court has convicted Popere for killing his wife by strangling her, dumping her body with the help of a 28-year-old Pakistani.
Published: Wed 30 Dec 2015, 8:12 PM
A 26-year-old Indian Atif Qamruddin Popere will face the firing squad for killing his 24-year old wife Mini Dhananjayan in Dubai in 2013.
The UAE high court has convicted Popere for killing his wife by strangling her, dumping her body with the help of a 28-year-old Pakistani, who was also sentenced to death, and fleeing back to India. As per UAE law, Popere's death sentence can be commuted to life only if the victim's family puts forth a mercy plea.
How case unfolded> 2008 - The couple had a love marriage after the met in Mumbai
> 2009 - Had a baby girl
> 2013 - Atif along with a friend murdered his wife
> 2015 - Atif and his friend convicted of murder by UAE high court
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Popere and the Pakistani accomplice had pled not guilty before the Dubai court of appeal and the court of cassation as they appealed to reduce the punishment but the judges of the court of cassation rejected his appeal and upheld the verdict.
Bushra's mother based in Kerala and her brother who lives in Dubai said that firstly no one had contacted them regarding the mercy plea and secondly, there is no way they will have mercy on the killer.
They said that also they will continue the legal battle in the Bombay high court to get the custody of the couple's six-year-old granddaughter, who is currently living with her paternal grandparents in Mangaon taluka of Raigad.
Popere met Mini Dhananjayan when she was studying at a college in Mumbai. The two fell in love and were married in 2008. She changed her name to Bushra after her marriage, and the couple had a daughter in 2009.
They apparently used to have constant fights over his reported extramarital affair with a Filipina woman in Dubai.
According to court records, on March 11, 2013, Atif and the Pakistani had become drinking pals and Bushra took an aversion to the friend and would fight with her husband over their friendship.
Atif told his accomplice about his wife's strong dislike for him and their constant fights over him as well as their arguments about his alleged affair with a Filipina. The Pakistani friend allegedly persuaded Atif to get rid of his wife, and one night while Bushra was sleeping, Atif let the Pakistani man into his house and strangulate his wife.
After killing her, they wrapped her body in a bedsheet, put it inside a black plastic bag and drove to the Dubai-Al Ain Road before dumping it in Al Fuqaa area.
Soon after the murder, Atif panicked and fled the country on March 28, 2013.
After visiting Atif's workplace, police learnt he had gone back to India claiming an emergency. Dubai Police then had the Indian extradited, telling him if he returned and handed himself over, his punishment could be reduced. Atif returned to the UAE and was arrested from the Dubai International Airport.
Atif also told the police that he killed his wife in order to get rid of her and that seeking a divorce would be a costly affair.
The police also tracked down the Pakistani, who confessed to the crime. He however said that it was Atif who had killed the woman, and that he had simply helped him dump the body.
Another dark secret revealed
Atif, during his interrogation, also admitted that he and the same friend had killed another European woman prior to the murder of his wife.
He told police when he was a bachelor, he had met the woman on the highway. She allegedly agreed to have sex with him for money and got into the car. However, once they had sex, the friend too demanded to have his turn. The woman allegedly refused, saying she wanted more money. So they assaulted her till she lost consciousness, had sex with her, killed her and buried her body. It was close to the place where he buried his wife's body four years later.
The defendant and his accomplice will now stand trial for murdering the European sex worker.
amira@khaeejtimes.com
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