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6:01:37 PM Indian-American lottery winner's remains could be exhumed | |
Chicago, Jan 9: The mortal remains of an Indian-American
businessman who died here within hours of receiving a cheque for the
million-dollar jackpot that he had won could be exhumed soon in order to
clear the mystery over how he was poisoned.
In Jun 2012, Urooj Khan bought two Illinois lottery scratchcards from a
store that he used to frequent. The 46-year-old scratched one of the
cards at the 7-Eleven store itself and jumped up in joy on discovering
that he had won the first prize of $1 million.
Khan had two options - collect just $600,000 immediately or receive the
entire sum in installments. The owner of a dry cleaning chain in North
Side here preferred the former. On Jul 19, Khan received a cheque for
about $425,000, the amount he was entitled to get after taxes. The next day, the immigrant from Hyderabad screamed suddenly in the
middle of his sleep. The efforts to rush him to hospital did not
succeed as he died on the way.
Since no external injuries were found on the body, the Cook County
medical examiner's office ruled that the death was from natural causes.
However, an anonymous call some days later prompted a relook into the
case.
Toxicology tests carried out subsequently showed that Khan had died of
cyanide poisoning. This led Chicago Police to launch a homicide
investigation. Chief Medical Examiner Stephen J Cina has already
explained to prosecutors why it is necessary to dig up Khan's grave.
"It's always good if and when the case goes to trial to have as much
data as possible," Cina pointed out, adding that "based on the
information we have now and the (toxicology results), we're comfortable
where we are right now."
The Chicago Tribune quoted a spokesperson of the state attorney's office
as saying that they will soon urge a civil court to approve the
exhumation.
According to Khan's widow Shabana Ansari, he did not leave behind any
will. "I don't think anyone would have a bad eye for him or that he had
any enemy anyone," she said.
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