The Greater Noida dowry death case has taken a dramatic turn after purported CCTV footage surfaced online, raising fresh questions about the sequence of events. The clip allegedly shows the victim’s husband, Vipin Bhati, outside a grocery shop near his house at the same time his wife, Nikki Bhati, was reportedly set on fire on August 21. The video, recorded at a shop diagonally opposite the Bhati residence in Sirsa village, shows Vipin in a checkered shirt and trousers around 5:42 pm, contradicting the allegations that he was inside the house when the incident occurred.
Nikki’s family has accused Vipin, along with his parents and brother, of burning her alive over dowry demands. She later succumbed to severe burn injuries in a Delhi hospital. The CCTV carries a time stamp of 5:45 pm, which reportedly coincides with the timing of disturbing clips shared by Nikki’s sister Kanchan, who alleged Vipin had assaulted her sibling. Lokmat Times could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. Police, however, remain cautious. Additional DCP Sudhir Kumar stated that the authenticity of the CCTV footage cannot be confirmed yet, stressing that the video is circulating only on social media and further examination is required before drawing conclusions.
The CCTV clip provides a detailed sequence of events. Vipin can be seen chatting with boys near a white car before suddenly running towards his home at 5:47 pm, followed by an older man. Moments later, he rushes back out, seemingly in panic, gesturing at bystanders who gathered around. The footage also captures him entering the car, stepping out briefly, then reversing it into the lane. According to his cousin Devendra, this moment coincided with a cylinder blast inside the kitchen. He insists Nikki’s injuries were accidental, claiming she herself mentioned a blast while being rushed to Fortis Hospital.
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Devendra’s version, backed by the CCTV recording, stands in direct conflict with that of Nikki’s sister Kanchan, who accused Vipin of deliberately setting her sibling on fire. Kanchan released separate videos that allegedly show Vipin dragging Nikki by her hair and taunting her, with one clip showing her engulfed in flames. Nikki’s in-laws dismissed these videos as old recordings from last winter. Police, however, are not ruling out any angle. They are cross-verifying the CCTV timeline with the footage submitted by Kanchan and also examining hospital records to establish whether Nikki’s final statements corroborate claims of a cylinder explosion.
Investigators are now grappling with two sharply opposing narratives. While Vipin’s relatives maintain the fire was accidental and supported by the CCTV evidence, Nikki’s family alleges it was a premeditated act linked to dowry harassment and her desire to reopen a beauty parlour she once operated. Police said the couple argued on August 21 over Nikki’s social media activity and plans for the parlour. According to her family, Vipin doused her with flammable liquid before setting her ablaze. With conflicting CCTV clips, eyewitness accounts, and allegations, police have arrested Vipin, his brother Rohit, and their parents as investigations continue.