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Hema and I had no problems, says slain artist's ex-husband

by IBNS 16 Dec 2015, 08:23 am

Mumbai, Dec 16 (IBNS) Slain artist Hema Upadhyay's husband Chintan, who has been under the police vigil in connection with the double murder, said that although they were estranged, he still loved his wife, and that they had no problems.

Media reports quoted Chintan as saying that whatever  financial disputes they had during the divorce proceedings were also amicably settled.  "When we had filed for divorce, there would sometimes be a dispute over the Juhu flat. Hema had demanded several times that she get the flat, but I never refused her. I always told her that we should sell the flat and divide the money equally," Chintan reportedly  told the Crime Branch officials.

He said that while he lived in Delhi, whenever he came to Mumbai, he would spend time at Hema's home. "We did not have problems with each other. Many times, she asked me for money, and I always helped her. Even on the day they went missing, I paid Rs. 2 lakh to her lawyer, Harish Bhambhani, as per the court order on alimony," added the artist husband.

The police have also been scrutinising his connection with the main accused in the case, Vidyadhar Rajbhar, who runs the art godown where Hema and Harish were killed. 

"At the time, Vidyadhar's father was running the godown, and he had really helped us. We owe him a lot; the position we found as artists was because he helped us," said Chintan. 

He said that when Vidyadhar's father, Vansh Rajbhar passed away in 2013, he had even paid Rs.5 lakh for the last rites. "I never asked for that money to be returned. I know Vidyadhar and all his workers. Just 10 days ago, I had spoken to him regarding some artwork," he added.