Prime Video's Raakh, which premiered on June 12, takes viewers back to 1970s Delhi through a fictionalised crime narrative. While the series does not present itself as a direct retelling of real events, its story is rooted in one of India's most haunting criminal cases, the 1978 kidnapping and murder of siblings Geeta and Sanjay Chopra.
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The Real Life Tragedy Behind Raakh
Directed by Prosit Roy, Raakh stars Ali Fazal as Sub-Inspector Jayprakash, a police officer investigating the abduction and murder of two children. The series also features Sonali Bendre and Aamir Bashir in key roles.
Although fictionalised for the screen, the story draws inspiration from the infamous Ranga-Billa case, a crime that dominated headlines across India in 1978.
Who Were Geeta And Sanjay Chopra?
Geeta Chopra was 16, while her younger brother Sanjay Chopra was 14. The siblings belonged to a middle-class naval family living in the Officers' Enclave at Dhaula Kuan in New Delhi. Their father, Captain Madan Mohan Chopra, headed the Judge Advocate General's office in the Indian Navy and had relocated the family to Delhi.
On August 26, 1978, the siblings left home to participate in a youth programme at All India Radio. It was meant to be an ordinary evening. Geeta was scheduled to appear on air, and their father planned to collect them after the broadcast.
However, they never reached the destination.
The Evening That Changed Everything
Heavy rain swept across Delhi that evening. Unable to cover the entire distance on foot, the siblings accepted a lift that brought them closer to the destination.
At around 6.15 pm, they were last seen travelling towards the venue. When the family tuned in to hear Geeta's programme later that night, her voice never came on air.
Concern quickly turned into panic. Captain Chopra rushed to the station, only to discover that neither child had arrived. A police search soon began.
Who Were Ranga And Billa?
The men later identified as the perpetrators were Jasbir Singh, known as Billa, and Kuljeet Singh, known as Ranga.
The pair were petty criminals who had reportedly met in Bombay before travelling to Delhi after facing increasing police attention. Both had recently been released from Arthur Road Jail.
Investigators later learned that the two men had been driving around Delhi in a Fiat Padmini with plans to kidnap children for ransom.
The Kidnapping And Murders
According to investigators, the siblings were abducted and taken to a secluded area near Delhi Cantonment. Witnesses reportedly saw the children attempting to seek help from inside the car.
What began as a ransom kidnapping ended in tragedy. The siblings were killed that night, and their bodies were abandoned near Upper Ridge Road, close to Buddha Jayanti Park.
Two days later, a cattle grazer discovered the bodies, bringing the search to a heartbreaking end.
How Investigators Tracked Down The Killers
The investigation gained momentum after authorities followed key leads linked to injuries the attackers reportedly sustained during the struggle with the siblings.
Ranga and Billa remained on the run for nearly two weeks. While travelling on the Kalka Mail, they entered a compartment reserved for military personnel, raising suspicion among soldiers. After noticing their resemblance to wanted photographs published in newspapers, the soldiers alerted authorities.
When the train arrived in Delhi, the two men were handed over to police.
Trial, Conviction And Death Sentences
The case became one of India's most closely followed criminal trials. Ranga and Billa were convicted on charges including murder and kidnapping, with both blaming each other for the killings. Later, an Additional Sessions Judge sentenced them to death.
The two men were executed at Tihar Jail in New Delhi on January 31, 1982.
A Legacy That Endures
The tragedy left a lasting mark on India.
Geeta and Sanjay Chopra were posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, and bravery awards bearing their names were later established for children under 16. These honours continue to be presented annually alongside the National Bravery Awards.