The Uttarakhand High Court has affirmed the life imprisonment sentence of software engineer Rajesh Gulati for the murder of his wife, Anupama Gulati. Justices Ravindra Mathani and Alok Mahra presided over the division bench that dismissed Gulati's appeal on Wednesday, upholding the lower court's verdict that found him guilty of murdering and dismembering his wife's body.

The case dates back to October 17, 2010, when Rajesh and Anupama, who had a love marriage in 1999, had a heated argument in their Dehradun residence. The couple had moved to the United States after their marriage but returned to India six years later and settled in Dehradun. According to the police investigation, Rajesh allegedly slapped Anupama during the argument, causing her to hit her head against the wall and fall unconscious. Fearing the consequences, Rajesh then smothered her to death.

The next day, Rajesh purchased an electric saw and a deep freezer. He then cut Anupama's body into 72 pieces, storing them in polybags inside the freezer. Over time, he disposed of the bags containing body parts in remote locations outside Dehradun to conceal the evidence.

Anupama's brother, Sujan Kumar, visited Dehradun on December 12, 2010, and filed a missing person report with the Cantonment Police Station after Rajesh gave evasive answers about his sister's whereabouts. A police search of Rajesh's residence led to the gruesome discovery of Anupama's body parts inside the deep freezer, resulting in Rajesh's immediate arrest.

In September 2017, a Dehradun trial court convicted Rajesh Gulati of murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs 15 lakh. The court deemed the crime heinous and ordered that a portion of the fine be deposited into the state treasury, with the remainder kept in a bank account for the benefit of their children when they reach adulthood. Gulati challenged the trial court's order in the High Court in 2017, but his appeal has now been dismissed.