Fresh CCTV footage purportedly shows Shraddha Dubey in Nepal as police search for her. The footage and her abandoned SUV have provided new leads in Shiva Sharma's death case.
Influencer Shraddha Dubey, the prime accused in the death of Lucknow businessman Shiva Sharma, remains untraceable as police investigate fresh CCTV footage suggesting she may have crossed into Nepal.
Lucknow,Oct 16, 2026 01:59 IST
Fresh CCTV footage purportedly showing influencer Shraddha Dubey in Nepal has emerged as police intensify their search for the prime accused in the death of Lucknow businessman Shiva Sharma. Police have also found her SUV parked in Rupaidiha, a town in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district near the Nepal border.
According to police sources, Dubey may be hiding in Nepal's Dang district. Her last known location was reportedly traced to a hotel around 150 km from the Nepal border. The newly surfaced footage is said to have been recorded on the morning of October 10 near Jamunaha police checkpost, the first checkpoint after crossing into Nepal.
The footage has added a fresh lead to the investigation, although Dubey's exact whereabouts have not been officially confirmed.
SHRADDHA DUBEY'S SUV FOUND NEAR NEPAL BORDER
The Uttar Pradesh Police found Dubey's SUV in Rupaidiha, where it had reportedly been parked since October 10. According to information available to investigators, she had told people that she was going to Nepal before leaving the vehicle there.
The discovery prompted police to intensify efforts to trace her movements and establish whether she crossed the international border. Her whereabouts remained unclear as the search continued.
Dubey has been on the run since Sharma died on October 9 after falling from the fourth floor of his apartment building in Lucknow.
DUBEY BREAKS SILENCE, SAYS SHE WANTS TO RECORD STATEMENT
On Wednesday, Dubey released a video message denying that she was missing and saying she wanted to cooperate with the police.
“I am not missing. I want to go to the police and give a statement. I want to tell them the truth, everything,” she said.
The influencer claimed she was not physically fit at present and urged people to consider her condition before making allegations against her.
She also denied having links with gangsters, politicians or senior government officials, alleging that her name had been unnecessarily dragged into rumours.
“My only request to you is that before saying anything about any girl. I have not done anything wrong,” she added.
FAMILY ALLEGES TORTURE BEFORE SHARMA'S DEATH
The case has taken a serious turn following allegations by Sharma's family that he was assaulted and tortured before his death.
His mother, Ranjana, has alleged that Dubey and her sister, Rashmi, held him captive, brutally tortured him and threw him from the building. She claimed his body bore multiple injuries, including fractures to his jaw, ribs and a leg, with blood coming from his ears and nose.
The family has also alleged that his body had cigarette burns and scratches, which they say point to prolonged physical abuse.
According to the family, Dubey had been harassing Sharma for the preceding four to five months, allegedly assaulting him and threatening to implicate him in false cases and defame him.
The allegations are part of the ongoing investigation and have not been established in court.
AUDI FOOTAGE, ALLEGED CRIMINAL LINKS UNDER SCRUTINY
Investigators are also examining CCTV footage that reportedly showed a white Audi bearing a “Secretariat” label arriving at the apartment building shortly after Sharma's fall. The circumstances surrounding the vehicle's arrival and its occupants are among the aspects under scrutiny.
Police have registered a murder case against Dubey, her sister, their driver and two other people following the allegations made by Sharma's family.
The investigation has also drawn attention to a photograph purportedly showing Dubey with Rishabh Rai, an Aliganj-based criminal carrying a reward of Rs 25,000. Rai is reportedly the person whose audio threatening Sharma had earlier circulated online.
The photograph has raised questions about the nature of their alleged association and whether the threat had any connection to Sharma's death. However, no such link has been established.
Police are also investigating alleged connections between Dubey and individuals linked to the Mukhtar Ansari gang, as well as claims that such associations were used to intimidate people, extort money and blackmail victims.
Investigators are yet to establish the full sequence of events leading to Sharma's death, while the search for Dubey continues.
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With inputs from Santosh