To avoid paying rent, man shoots self shoulder to frame landlord; arrested

To avoid paying Rs 2.25 lakh due as rent, a man shot himself in his thigh and shoulder to implicate his landlord in a fake attempt-to-murder case in southeast Delhi's Amar Colony area, police said on Sunday. But before Sumit Bhadana, 22, could ensure his landlord Varun Juneja was put behind bars, police found about the conspiracy and arrested him. Sumit ran a Paying Guest (PG) hostel in a residential building he had rented from Juneja in Amar Colony, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said.

On Thursday evening, Sumit called up police, alleging he has been shot at by Juneja in his thigh and shoulder and he was being rushed to a hospital. When police reached the spot, they found blood on the floor and two empty cartridges.

In his statement to police later, Sumit said he could not pay rent for six months because of his poor financial situation and on Thursday evening, he and Juneja had an argument over the Rs 2.5 lakh due. During the argument, Sumit alleged, Juneja fired two rounds on him and ran away, Biswal said.

Juneja, however, denied he opened fire on Sumit and said when he had asked for rent, Sumit suggested he come at 8pm. He said Sumit was trying to frame him to avoid paying the money, the DCP said.

During investigation, police found a number of contradictions in Sumit's narration of the sequence of events. Sensing trouble, Sumit "escaped" the hospital as LAMA (Leave Against Medical Advice) while his medical tests were being conducted, Biswal said.

Sumit was later apprehended at his sister's house in Shastri Nagar. Biswal said Sumit had procured a pistol from his friend from Badshahpur, Rajasthan, and had worked out the plan to frame his landlord. He intentionally started an argument with Juneja, the DCP said.

After Juneja left the building on Thursday evening, to return later that night, Sumit shot himself in his thigh and shoulder. He then called his brother Naveen Bhadana and handed over the weapon to him.

The gun has been recovered and Sumit's brother too has been arrested, police said.