Meraj Zafar murdered his pregnant wife, Arnima Hayat, after disturbing Google searches. He then tried to dissolve her body in acid.
Arnima’s parents moved to Australia. They wanted to give her better chances. She met her first boyfriend and got stuck in a bad marriage. She was also expecting a child.
Only four months into the marriage, she felt afraid and wanted to escape her husband. Arnima grew up in Australia, where her parents had a butcher shop.
Her life changed when she met Meraj Zafar. He was an apprentice builder and 20 years old.
Her family worried about his controlling behavior. He got Arnima to drink alcohol, and they heard rumors about his drug use.
Arnima used to be close to her family but started drifting away because of Zafar’s influence. In May 2021, Zafar asked for her dad’s blessing to marry Arnima.
Her dad hesitated and wanted to meet Zafar’s parents. Zafar got angry and called Arnima’s dad, using mean names and pushing him to decide. Her dad went to the police, who gave Zafar a restraining order.
Despite this, Arnima and Zafar married in October 2021 in a private ceremony. Close family and friends were not there, and they lived a very isolated life in an apartment in Sydney.
Arnima was once lively and shared her life, but she became quiet. She loved music and shopping before but became withdrawn as she studied.
By January 2022, Arnima was pregnant and told friends about Zafar’s abuse, although she had not yet spoken with the police.
He choked her until she passed out after an issue with another man. Arnima texted him, begging to leave.
She feared he would hit her again and did not want a son like him. Zafar dismissed her fears, telling her to forget the past and that he was not himself then. The pair married privately.
On January 30, Zafar’s mom called the police, saying there a fight and she worried about Arnima. Zafar also looked at international flight prices. Police found a terrible scene with an apartment that smelled of chemicals. The remains were too damaged, needing DNA to ID Arnima.
Zafar disappeared in his white van, and police spread his picture. He surrendered within 20 hours.
CCTV showed Zafar buying 20 liters of acid, then 80 more liters. Despite denying it, he planned to get rid of Arnima’s body.
Before buying the acid, he made disturbing searches on his computer about acid burning skin and murder sentences in Sydney.
In May 2024, Zafar confessed to murder. The judge said Zafar was furious because he thought Arnima might leave him, so he killed her by blocking her breathing. Then, he tried dissolving her body in acid.
The murder was the climax of violence and Zafar’s controlling acts in a place where Arnima should have been safe.
Arnima’s mom shared her sorrow through a lawyer. She said there was no joy, only suffering, and her tears never stopped. Her heart hurt deeply, and she visits Arnima’s grave every Friday.
The husband got 21 years and six months. He must wait sixteen years for parole.