# Right-Wing Leader Puja Shakun Pandey Arrested in Aligarh Businessman's Murder: A Shocking Twist in a Contract Killing Saga
October 11, 2025**
In a dramatic development that has sent shockwaves through Uttar Pradesh's political and social circles, Puja Shakun Pandey, a prominent office-bearer of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) and self-proclaimed Mahamandleshwar, was arrested late Friday night from Bharatpur in Rajasthan. Pandey, the main accused in the brazen murder of 25-year-old businessman Abhishek Gupta in Aligarh on September 26, had been absconding for over two weeks with a ₹50,000 reward on her head. Her capture marks a significant breakthrough in the case, which police say was a cold-blooded contract killing fueled by a toxic mix of business rivalries, personal entanglements, and alleged blackmail. As Pandey is brought back to Aligarh for intense interrogation, questions swirl about her motives, her controversial past, and what this means for the fringe right-wing outfit she represents.
## The Murder: A Fatal Shot at a Bus Stop
The nightmare unfolded around 9:30 PM on September 26 in Aligarh's bustling Roravar area, near the Khereshwar Temple crossing. Abhishek Gupta, a rising entrepreneur who had recently opened a two-wheeler showroom in the Khair area, was waiting with his father Neeraj and cousin Jeetu to board a bus back to their village in Hathras. As Neeraj and Jeetu climbed aboard, two assailants on a motorcycle pulled up, firing multiple shots at point-blank range. Abhishek collapsed in a pool of blood and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
The attack was swift and brazen, witnessed by commuters in the crowded intersection, yet the killers vanished into the night. Aligarh police swiftly registered an FIR at Roravar station based on Neeraj's complaint, which pointed fingers directly at Pandey and her husband, Ashok Pandey, an ABHM spokesperson. Neeraj alleged that the couple had orchestrated the hit over escalating disputes—financial tangles from a failed business partnership and darker claims of an illicit affair between Abhishek and Pandey, who allegedly pressured the young man to marry her despite being wed to Ashok.
## Cracking the Case: Confessions and a Nationwide Hunt
Aligarh SSP Neeraj Kumar Jadaun's teams wasted no time. CCTV footage from the scene, witness statements, and digital trails led to the arrest of Ashok Pandey on September 28, just two days after the murder. On October 1, police nabbed Mohammad Fazal, one of the shooters, who cracked under interrogation and confessed to the "supari" (contract) killing. Fazal implicated Pandey and Ashok, revealing they had offered ₹3 lakh (with ₹1 lakh advanced) for the job, executed with his associate Asif. Asif was apprehended the next day near the Aligarh-Etah highway, closing the noose on the executors.
With the hitmen and Ashok in custody, all eyes turned to Pandey, who had gone underground. Described as a "deep-rooted conspiracy" tied to her influence as a religious figure and ABHM leader, the manhunt spanned multiple states. Multiple teams, including local intelligence, tracked her movements through her network of properties and associates. She was finally cornered in Bharatpur, a border town just across the Rajasthan-Uttar Pradesh line, late on October 10. Produced before an Aligarh court, Pandey was remanded in judicial custody as investigations deepen into her finances and communications.
Police sources hint at a web of motives: Abhishek's refusal to partner with the Pandeys in his showroom, compounded by Neeraj's claims of blackmail and threats after Abhishek distanced himself— even blocking Pandey's number. "It was a fallout of greed and grudge," SSP Jadaun told reporters, emphasizing the role of Pandey's saffron-robed persona in intimidating the Guptas.
## Puja Shakun Pandey: From Gandhi Effigy Shooter to Murder Suspect
Pandey's arrest revives memories of her incendiary past. In 2019, as ABHM national secretary, she sparked nationwide outrage by staging a mock assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary in Aligarh—firing blanks at his effigy while glorifying Nathuram Godse, Gandhi's killer and an ABHM icon. Dressed in a saffron saree, she defended the act as akin to "burning Ravana's effigy" during Dussehra, but it led to FIRs under IPC sections for promoting enmity and outraging religious feelings. Pandey and Ashok were arrested then too, but the case dragged on without convictions.
Known also as Annapurna Bharti, the 48-year-old claims the title of Mahamandleshwar in the Niranjani Akhara, blending religious authority with hardline Hindu nationalism. She's been linked to other controversies, including setting up a "Hindu court" in Meerut and praising cow protection drives. A Mahasabha insider revealed the couple kept their marriage secret for years, adding layers to the affair allegations in this case. On X, reactions range from condemnation—"From shooting Gandhi's effigy to real blood on her hands?"—to defenses questioning the "contract killing" narrative as politically motivated.
## Broader Ramifications: Justice for Abhishek and a Reckoning for Fringe Groups?
For the grieving Gupta family, Pandey's arrest brings a measure of closure amid profound loss. Neeraj Gupta, who lost his only son, has vowed to pursue the case to its end, calling it a fight against "powerful bullies hiding behind religion." Aligarh police, lauded for their swift action, now probe potential accomplices in Pandey's circle, including ABHM ties that may have shielded her flight.
This incident spotlights the perils of unchecked influence wielded by fringe leaders. As one X user noted, "Religious titles shouldn't be shields for crime." With ABHM distancing itself—claiming Pandey acted "personally"—the outfit faces scrutiny over its role in fostering extremism.
As Pandey faces charges under IPC sections for murder, conspiracy, and criminal intimidation, the courts will unravel the truth. But for now, in Aligarh's streets, the echo of those gunshots serves as a grim reminder: disputes, when poisoned by power, can turn deadly.
*What drives such leaders to cross the line? Share your thoughts below.*
**Sources and Further Reading:**
- [Hindustan Times: Right-wing leader Puja Shakun Pandey arrested](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rightwing-leader-puja-shakun-pandey-arrested-in-aligarh-businessmans-murder-101760180131665.html)
- [NDTV: UP Businessman's Murder, A Religious Leader On The Run](https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pooja-shakun-pandey-abhishek-gupta-murder-up-businessmans-murder-a-religious-leader-on-the-run-and-an-affair-claim-9384222)
- [The Indian Express: Aligarh businessman murder: Pooja Pandey arrested](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/aligarh-businessman-murder-pooja-pandey-mahatma-gandhi-effigy-arrested-10300949/)
