Top 10 Sensational Crimes in India and Their Current Status

4. 2007 Rizwanur Case (Kolkata, West Bengal)

Rizwanur Case (Kolkata, West Bengal)
Rizwanur Case

Priyanka Todi and Rizwanur case is another one of the most talked-about crime cases in India. It was a fairytale love story between a rich girl and a middle-class man with shades of religious and class conflict.

What Really Happened?

Rizwanur Rahman was a 30-year-old computer graphic designer who fell in love with an industrialist’s 23-year-old daughter Priyanka Todi. Both tied the knot secretly on August 18, 2007, in the company of a few close friends of Rizwanur. On August 31, 2007, Rizwanur brought Priyanka to his family and wrote a letter asking for protection from her father, as her family disapproved of their marriage due to inter-religion and income/ status conflict. Priyanka’s family allegedly took the help of police to get Priyanka back by warning Rahman. On September 8, police summoned Rahman to the police station and urged him to allow Priyanka to visit her parents’ house. Initially, Rahman resisted but soon agreed on the condition that he would take an undertaking from Priyanka’s uncle who was present at the police station, that she would return to him after a week. On the same day, she left for her parental house with her uncle. On September 21, Rahman’s body was found on the railway line. Police Commissioner of Kolkata claimed it to be a case of suicide. However, during the investigation, the train driver refuted seeing anyone lying on the rail track while driving. After this statement, the speculations of murder grew in the public eye as well as the media.

Why the Murder?

Whether it was a murder or suicide remains a mystery. Priyanka’s father Ashok Todi, owner of Lux Cozi, is a big industrialist. Whereas Rahman belonged to a middle-class Muslim household. And his religion and financial status reportedly caused an aversion for her parents. And that’s the apparent conflict between the two families.

What’s the Status Now?

CBI has declared Rizwan a ‘case of suicide’. However, Priyanka’s father Ashok Todi, her uncle Pradip Todi and Anil Saraogi and a few other police officers were charged with “abetment to suicide of Rahman”. On October 11, 2018, the Supreme Court has given the go-ahead to CBI special court to frame charges against Todi.

The Rizwanur – Priyanka saga has inspired a lot of filmmakers. One such film which is inspired from this case is ‘Chirodini Tumi Je Amar’ starring Rahul and Priyanka.