GHAZIABAD: A 32-year-old woman and her friend were arrested on Monday after the body of her 11-year-old stepson - missing since Sunday evening - was recovered from a septic tank of their Govindpuri house.The woman, Rekha, claimed that the boy had gone out to play around 3pm on Sunday and didnt return home. She even helped the police team look for the boy around the house and nearby lanes.Police found discrepancies in her claims after they scanned footage from CCTV cameras installed in the vicinity. They found the boy, Shabad Sen, had not stepped out of home between 2pm and 4pm. The police team also questioned more than 50 people in the area, who corroborated they hadnt seen the boy on Sunday afternoon.It was then that the cops turned their attention to the 6ft deep septic tank, about 20 steps from the boys room. The childs body, tied to a heavy chunk of brick with a scarf, was fished out of the cesspit on Monday, DCP (rural) Vivek Yadav said. "Shabads father Rahul claimed the dupatta was one of Rekhas, his second wife. The woman was immediately detained," he said.Police said Rekha told her interrogators she was upset as Rahul would spend most of his earnings on his son from the first marriage, ignoring her four-year-old daughter from a previous marriage.On Sunday afternoon, the woman strangled the boy and dumped his body into the septic tank with the help of her friend and neighbour Poonam (30). Rahul was away at his salon and Pari, Rekhas daughter, was asleep at the time of the crime, police said."On the basis of a complaint filed by the boys father, an FIR was registered against Rekha under sections 363 (kidnapping) and 302 (murder) of the IPC. Poonam was also arrested after Rekha named her as an accomplice during questioning," the DCP said, adding that the body was sent for an autopsy and the report was awaited.

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