Nikki Yadav case: Family unaware of accused-victim relationship, claims kin

NEW DELHI: The family of Sahil Gehlot, accused of killing his girlfriend Nikki Yadav and stuffing her body into a refrigerator in southwest Delhi before being caught, was not aware of the accused's relationship with the victim, a relative claimed on Monday.

Gehlot's maternal uncle Yogi Mathur told PTI that they came to know about the relationship between the couple through media reports.

''None of us knew that they were in regular touch or that they were married and wanted to part ways,'' he said.

If the family was aware of their relationship, a tragedy of this magnitude would not have occurred, Mathur said.

The family members would have intervened to prevent the tragedy, he added.

''When we got together for the wedding (between Gehlot and a woman chosen by his family), we were not aware of anything.... We cannot believe what has happened,'' Mathur said, adding, ''The family is in shock and pain.'' Recounting the day of Gehlot's engagement, he said Gehlot suddenly went missing and the family could not trace him.

''I was angry but his (Gehlot's) mother told me not to get angry with him as he is getting married,'' Mathur said.

A court meanwhile extended Gehlot's police custody by two days on Monday.

Police also informed the court that the identity of the priest who had solemnised the marriage between the victim and the accused was ''verified''.

The investigating officer (IO) told the court that during the investigation, it came to light that Gehlot had secretly married Yadav in October 2020 and the victim was asking the accused to get a social sanction for the marriage.

Meanwhile, Gehlot's family was pressuring him to marry a woman of its choice and his engagement was fixed on February 9, he said.