The Desi Crime Podcast

53. The Case of Qandeel Baloch - Pakistan

‘How I’m looking? Beautiful, sexy, or hot?’ One could have easily mistaken these words to be uttered by a Kim Kardashian, a Kendal Jenner or some other young woman on Instagram seeking fame, if only it was not for the broken English. The broken English, how I’m looking, not how am I looking, hides a story much deeper and significant than an appeal for likes on social media. The minor grammatical difference underscores a world altogether different than the one of tiktok stars. These words, as salacious and incorrectly framed as they maybe, mark a struggle if one chooses to read between the lines. These were the very words that gave a woman in Pakistan a new, a life she had always desired. But the very same words were also responsible for snatching away her life from her. This is the story of that woman from Pakistan who simply yearned for a better life; this is the story of Qandeel Baloch.

52. The Case of Ruchika Girhotra - India

When we cover these cases, the ones that hit the hardest are those with the clearest injustice: deep-rooted, disturbing, and plain to see. Cases where the very ones tasked with righting injustice — our parents, our schools, our police — are the ones who perpetrate it. It makes all of our blood boil to hear of lives destroyed, families torn apart, futures snatched over trivialities. If you feel this way too, this case is your worst nightmare come to life: a nightmare one 14-year-old girl had to live through 32 years ago. This is a case that shook India to its core. This is the story of Ruchika Girhotra.

51. The Tale of the Patels - UK/India

The perfect marriage, a goal for so many of us. To find that one person that they can spend their life with. Seldom do people find such a partner, but when they do, two worlds meet in remarkable union. What happens when that one person is taken away from you? What happens when that oh-so-perfect partner is no more? Well, this is one such story. The story of union that was simply never meant to be; this is the story of Mitesh and Jessica Patel.

50. The Mysterious Death of Sushant Singh Rajput - India

2020 was a weird and unfortunate year for everyone. Even for those of us who didn’t suffer the loss of someone close to us, death seemed like it was all around. It was unprecedented that we found ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic, locked inside our houses for months on end. By the time June 2020 rolled around with the pandemic in full swing, Bollywood had already lost two major film stars in Irfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor when suddenly, on the 14th of June, the news of another death flashed on every Indian’s TV screen and this one took the country by storm. 34 year old Bollywood superstar Sushant Singh Rajput found dead in his apartment. The reason for his death? Suicide by hanging. But was it? If you’ve wondered the answer to this question for 3 years now, you’ve come to the right place. This is the story of the mysterious death of Sushant Singh Rajput. 

49. The Tandoor Murder - India

When you visit an Indian restaurant, from the god awfully long menu, there is one genre of food item that always stands out— us desis are in fact known for this around the world. The tandoor. From tandoori naan to tandoori chicken, and hell, tandoori paneer for all our vegetarian listeners out there, the tandoor is an integral part of any brown kid’s childhood. But this seemingly innocent cylindrical clay oven found itself embroiled in a case that captured and haunted Delhities for years; this cylindrical clay oven stood at the center of a love story, a hate story and an impeccable investigation conducted by the Delhi police in the late 90s. This is the story of that clay over; this is the story of the Tandoor murder. 

48. Mysterious Gurugram School Murder (Pt.2) - India

On September 8, 2017, a 7-year-old child was found dead inside a famous school in Gurugram. Soon it became obvious that his death was no accident. The deep cut on his neck and the knife found at the scene pointed to a sinister plot. Until recently, the Haryana police paraded their murderer and declared the case closed. But did they accuse the right person? Did bus conductor Ashok Kumar murder Pradyuman after a failed attempt at sexually assaulting the child? Or was this story far more complicated than it seemed? 
Welcome to part 2 of The Mysterious Gurugram School Murder. 

47. Mysterious Gurugram School Murder (Pt.1) - India

On September 8 2017, a loving father drove his two kids—his 7-year-old son and his 11-year-old daughter— to school just like any other morning. He smiled and waved goodbye to his children just before 8:00am, and barely 20 minutes later, his life had changed forever. His world had come crashing down in front of his eyes. This is the story of his 7-year-old child. This is the story of Pradyuman Thakur.

46. The Shafia Family Murders (Pt.3) - Afghanistan/Canada

Zainab is on the run. Her siblings are terrified. Shafia is plotting a mass murder. But how did a plan to murder Zainab and possibly Rona develop into a plan to murder Sahar and Geeti too? How did they bring Zainab back from the shelter? What went down inside that Nissan Sentra just moments before it drowned, killing 4 women? And what was it all for? Find out in part 3 of The Shafia Family Murders.

45. The Shafia Family Murders (Pt.2) - Afghanistan/Canada

A brother, a mother and father are grieving their daughters\' deaths. It appears that Zainab, Sahar, and Geeti died in a bizarre accident; their black nissan was found drowned in a Lock in Kingston, Canada. But police questioning and investigation unfurls this accident more; suggesting inklings of something way more sinister. Good the grieving family be an act? Do Hamed, Shafia and Tooba know more than they are telling? Find out in Pt.2 of The Desi Crime Podcast.
This episode wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing work of Macleans journalists whose reporting enabled us to unfurl this investigation for you. - https://www.macleans.ca/society/the-shafia-case-is-finished-finally/amp/

44. The Shafia Family Murders (Pt.1) - Afghanistan/Canada

Imagine you’re on a roadtrip with your family. Your father’s driving well below the speed limit, stickler for the law that he is; your mum’s insisting you eat the food she brought from home instead of the McDonald’s drive-thru meal; your younger sibling’s belligerently asking how far you have left to go. You’re tuned into your headset, staring into the horizon, when suddenly the landscape changes. You’re underwater. Your car is drowning, and you and your family are drowning along with it. This is what one Afghan family went through in Canada back in 2009. What seemed to be a tragedy soon betrayed inklings of a sinister plot. Was this an accident, or was it just made to look like one? This is the story of the Shafia Family Murders.