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Shraddha Dubey has denied involvement in Shiva Sharma’s death in a video statement (Img: Screengrab From the Video)
Lucknow: Social media influencer and makeup artist Shraddha Dubey has broken her silence over the death of Lucknow businessman Shiva Sharma, denying allegations that she was involved in his death. In a video statement, Shraddha claimed that Shiva died by suicide and said CCTV footage from the apartment could establish what happened.
Shraddha also alleged that Shiva had been under considerable financial pressure because of outstanding loans and had previously spoken about taking his own life if he could not repay his debts. She denied that she or her sister had tortured him and appealed to the media not to spread what she described as rumours.
Her statement comes amid a police investigation into Shiva’s death and allegations made by his family. Her claims have not been independently verified, and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
In the video, Shraddha introduces herself and rejects the allegations linking her to the case.
“I had nothing to do with that murder. It was not a murder, it was a suicide,” she said, claiming that she witnessed Shiva jumping from the balcony. She added that CCTV footage from the premises, if made available, would show what happened.
Shraddha said she had been in a poor physical and emotional condition following the incident. According to her, the fact that someone had jumped from her apartment had left her deeply distressed, which was why she had not spoken publicly earlier.
She also appealed to the media to avoid making allegations without evidence, saying that the accusations had caused her considerable distress.
One of the major claims in Shraddha’s statement concerns Shiva’s alleged financial difficulties. She said he frequently received calls from people seeking repayment and was worried about his debts.
According to Shraddha, Shiva had told her that he might take his own life if he failed to repay the loans. She claimed that she and others initially did not take such remarks seriously.
Shraddha further alleged that Shiva had substantial expenses, which she estimated at around Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. She said she had screenshots relating to his expenses and offered to share them.
She also stated that Shiva’s phone had been handed over to the police and claimed that his call records could help investigators examine the calls he allegedly received from people seeking repayment.
These claims represent Shraddha’s account of Shiva’s financial circumstances and have not been independently established.
In her video, Shraddha described the events she says took place in the days leading up to the incident.
She claimed that she had not spoken to Shiva for around six or seven days before he contacted her driver through a tea vendor near Kapurthala Crossing on October 7. According to her, Shiva was crying when he tried to get in touch.
Shraddha said she called him twice, but he did not answer immediately. She claimed that he later called her around 2 am, after which they met and spoke.
She alleged that Shiva had consumed a considerable amount of beer before they went to a café, where he ordered drinks. According to her account, they subsequently travelled together in her car.
Shraddha said her sister arrived at her residence on the morning of October 8. She denied her sister’s involvement in the case, claiming that the two barely knew each other and that her sister had little interaction with Shiva.
She also said Shiva’s friends visited later that day and questioned why, if he had been subjected to torture, they had not reported it to the police. Shraddha maintained that she had not tortured Shiva and described their relationship as a friendship that had developed into a romantic relationship.
Shraddha said she had known Shiva for a few months and that they had been in a relationship for approximately two months.
Responding to claims that Shiva frequently lived with her, she said he sometimes stayed at her residence for around 15 days and at other times remained away for two to four days.
She also referred to periods when they were not speaking and claimed that Shiva had travelled with his sister and brother-in-law during one such period.
According to Shraddha, their relationship had not been marked by the kind of torture alleged against her. She said they had gone on long drives and interacted with members of Shiva’s family.
These statements could form part of the account investigators may need to compare with other evidence, including call records, CCTV footage and witness statements.
Recounting the events of October 9, Shraddha claimed that Shiva had appeared distressed that day, although she said she did not know the exact reason.
She alleged that Shiva went into the bathroom and closed the main gate, which she said was unusual. According to her, she immediately asked her sister to check on him.
Shraddha claimed that when her sister opened the gate, Shiva jumped from the balcony.
She also described a confrontation with Shiva’s mother after the incident, alleging that his mother called emergency services and assaulted her driver. Shraddha said hospital CCTV footage could help establish what happened during that episode.
These allegations have not been independently verified.
Shiva Sharma died on October 9 after allegedly falling from the fourth floor of an apartment in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area.
His mother, Ranjana Sharma, reportedly lodged a complaint alleging that Shiva had been subjected to threats, blackmail and physical violence. The case named Shraddha Dubey, her sister Rashmi Dubey, a driver and other individuals, according to reports.
Police have been investigating the circumstances of Shiva’s death. Authorities have also announced a reward of Rs 25,000 each for information leading to the arrest of Shraddha and her sister, as reported in connection with the case.
An SUV reportedly registered in Shraddha’s name was also found abandoned near the India-Nepal border in Bahraich district’s Rupaidiha area.
The allegations against the named individuals remain allegations, and no guilt has been established by a court.
Toward the end of her video, Shraddha appealed to Shiva’s family and the media not to harass her. She said she was also suffering because of the incident and claimed that the allegations could have lasting consequences for her life.
She also made a distressed remark threatening to take her own life if the alleged harassment continued. The statement reflects the distress she expressed in the video, but it does not establish the facts of the case.
The investigation into Shiva Sharma’s death remains crucial to determining the sequence of events and examining the competing claims. CCTV footage, phone records, forensic evidence and witness statements may be important in establishing what happened.
For now, Shraddha’s video presents her version of events, while the allegations raised by Shiva’s family remain part of the ongoing investigation.
