NEW DELHI: Upset after his sister married a man convicted of murder , 18-year-old Mohammad Akram hatched a plan to eliminate his brother-in-law , Atif, to undo the dishonour brought on his family. Ironically, it was from the victim’s brother that Akram procured a pistol. Though his sister, Rakhiya, was estranged from the family, he kept in touch with her, even meeting Atif at parties in search of an opportune moment to strike.

Akram chose April 8 to carry out his intent, the date being significant as the day last year when his sister left home to go and live with Atif. The youngster called Atif to his tuition centre in Jyoti Nagar in northeast Delhi and shot him on his head after offering him a cold drink.

“My parents considered me dead after I went with Atif,” said Rakhiya on Wednesday. “However, my brother kept in touch with us and even visited us. I now realise he was doing this to plan the murder.”

Delhi Police arrested Akram from his house in Ghaziabad on Monday. The teenager told the cops during interrogation that he had informed his parents about his proposition and had got the go-ahead from them. On this basis, police have detained the father, Mohammad Rahisuddin , for questioning, though he has denied prior knowledge of the murder plan.

According to Akram, the affair between Rakhiya and Atif began about six years ago when his parents sheltered Atif and his brother Shaqib who had been accused of murder. Atif was later convicted by a lower court in UP but was granted bail on approaching a higher court.

When Rakhiya fell in love with Atif, the family registered a case of rape against the youth, and he was jailed in Ghaziabad. The girl’s family was opposed to the relationship because of Atif's criminal record. He was released after Rakhiya, who had turned 18 by the time, testified in court that she was married to him.

Out of jail, Atif took up a job at an advertising company in Okhla. “My husband had to bear extra expenses to pay the lawyers appearing for him in the murder case. And all this while, my family kept threatening us, so he had to take measures for our protection too,” said Rakhiya, who is now staying with her brother-in-law in Ghaziabad.

