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Indian-American woman shot dead, ex-husband held

October 16, 2013 12:24 IST

A 49-year-old Indian-American woman has been murdered in the United States.

The police have arrested her former husband and his current wife in connection with the case.

Baldeo Taneja (62) and his wife Raminder Kaur (63) were arrested in Nashville in connection with the slaying of Preeta Paul Gabba, who was fatally shot Saturday morning on a Germantown street, a suburb of Washington DC.

Teneja and Kaur have been charged with the first degree murder.

Gabba was found on Saturday with a gunshot wound at a road in Germantown. She died at a hospital later.

According to the police, several witnesses said they saw a woman walking near the scene, but left the place before the police arrived.

The couple married in 2002 in India, but separated in 2010 when Taneja moved in with his girlfriend, according to court papers in the divorce case.

Both Taneja and Gabba claimed that the other was abusive. Taneja said Gabba was trying to control him and his business associates, while Gabba said Taneja physically abused her, according to court records.

Taneja, a resident of Nashville in Tennessee, was scheduled to be in court in MontgomeryCounty on October 10 regarding a domestic issue. He, however, failed to appear for that hearing, the police said.

Police investigations further revealed that Taneja and his current wife, Raminder Kaur were both in Montgomery County on October 11 and October 12. They also found that Taneja and Kaur had purchased two firearms in Nashville on September 28.

Based on these facts, and other information, arrest warrants were issued for Taneja and Kaur for First Degree Murder and Conspiracy to commit First Degree Murder.

The couple was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee on October 13, 2013. Both have been charged as Fugitives from Justice in Nashville and are currently incarcerated in Tennessee.

The couple is awaiting extradition to MontgomeryCounty in Maryland. 

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