

The Desi Crime Podcast
Desi Studios
Desi Killers, Desi Kidnappers, Desi Criminals - find them here. Brought to you by Aryaan Misra and Aishwarya Singh, powered by The Desi Studios. We are your one stop shop for all things Desi, and all things Crazy. Support the work we do by becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudios Tooooooooo much of true crime is centered around America - New York murder this and Chicago Killer that. What about the Delhi Dons and Karachi killers and Bangladeshi Burglars?! If you are tired of the the same-old American murderer, British killer, Australian kidnapper, Canadian stalker… NO MORE! The Desi Crime Podcast brings DESI crimes. From India, Pakistan, Nepal and other brown communities, we’ll bring you cases that can only be described as Desi. Crimes that take place in the Indian subcontinent aren’t remotely similar to Western crimes— desi crimes are gory, complicated, corrupt and hardly documented. After thorough research on the most sinister cases, we’ll take you on a bumpy, jaw dropping ride around South Asia. Stay Crazy. Stay Desi.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 23, 2026 • 58min
Are Cheaters Scarier or Ghosts? | The Last Sleepover Ep. 01
Welcome to Moment of Silence x Desi Crime: The Last Sleepover.Remember those sleepovers where you stayed up way too late; swapping rumours, gossiping, and trying to spook your best friends with scary stories? This is our attempt to take you back to that feeling. Hosted by Aishwarya Singh, Aryaan Misra, Naina Bhan and Sakshi Shivdasani, this crossover slumber party takes you on a ride: Do ghosts exist? Does a bad date count as a paranormal experience? Is real life scarier or the afterlife? And who exactly is haunting the MOS studio? Featuring a woman with many names, a first date from hell, and a curse that came back to haunt a family - we’re bringing you a whole bunch of nightmares, strange encounters, and simple horrors otherwise known as human dating. And because no sleepover is complete without summoning a spirit, a special segment called Afterlife Advice: where we try our hand at paranormal activity and answer your relationship dilemmas with a little help from our resident ghost. Dim the lights, grab a blanket + a hot bowl of something yum (and don’t forget to check under your bed for monsters). Sweet dreams.P.S: Drop a boo in the comments if you liked this episode + subscribe!!Chaptering- 00:00 – Something creepy went down in Lonavala00:18 – Welcome to The Last Sleepover01:48 – High school rumours: trips, condoms & drugs 04:21 – Touring haunted properties04:40 – Desi Crime’s haunted trip to Rajasthan07:03 – Revenge of a camera-shy spirit08:34 – Sushi barking at ghost from 2–3 AM 11:16 – Story 1: The girl with many names17:52 – Story 2: First date fate26:56 – Story 3: A highway accident that awakened a sixth sense34:10 – Story 4: Things you should probably reveal early on a first date39:12 – Story 5: Vengeful spirit: a pilgrimage turned nightmare49:35 – Would you rather know how you die or when you die?50:54 – Afterlife advice nobody asked for57:45 – Like, share, subscribe & summon us againAishwarya & Naina’s PJ sets - https://www.shopmauve.in/collections/pyjama-setsCredits: Follow MoS on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/momentofsilencepod/?hl=enFor Desi Crime on Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/desicrime/Aishwarya - Co-host, true crime fanatic and self-proclaimed best true crime podcaster https://www.instagram.com/aishwaryasinghs/Aryaan / aryaanmisra - Co-host, the straight guy that manipulated his way into the girl’s sleepover https://www.instagram.com/aryaanmisra/Naina Bhan - Co-host and certified overthinkerhttps://www.instagram.com/nainabee?ig...Sakshi Shivdasani - Co-host, balancing out Naina’s overthinking with a healthy dose of not thinking / sakshishivd. .Director + Research & Writing - Aashna Sharma https://www.linkedin.com/in/aashna-sharma-913146179/Creative direction- Natascha Mehrahttps://www.instagram.com/natascha.zi...Produced by Handmade - Our personal cheering squad / thehandmade. .Producer - Amruta P. www.linkedin.com/in/amruta-bandivdekar-01879925Editor - Yug Verma https://www.instagram.com/bass_abhiyug?igsh=MnlibHdsbG56MjNl&utm_source=qrReels: Maria CasubhoyAnimation: Maria Casubhoy and Evan ThomasDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts, the production team, or the brand. While we encourage open dialogue, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information shared by our guests. Listener discretion is advised — especially if you're allergic to strong opinions.

Jan 18, 2026 • 1h 5min
180. Aviation's Weirdest Hijacking: Air India 224
On the night of November 25, 1981, an Air India Boeing 707 descended toward Mahé in the Seychelles expecting a routine refuelling stop—and instead flew straight into a war zone. Below, a coup was unfolding. As tracer bullets and mortars lit up the night, Captain Umesh Chandra Saxena circled overhead with dwindling fuel, receiving only cryptic warnings from a control tower that had already been seized by the mercenaries. With minutes of fuel left and no safe alternative, he made a life-or-death decision to land on a battlefield. What followed was one of the strangest hostage crises in aviation history. This is the story of Air India flight 224.

Jan 10, 2026 • 47min
179. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Actress Murder: Maple Batalia
On a winter evening in January 2011, a university campus in British Columbia was slowly winding down. Classes were over, lights glowed softly inside lecture halls, and students moved through parking lots thinking about nothing more than getting home. In a space meant to feel ordinary, familiar, and safe, something unthinkable was about to happen—quick, targeted, and irreversible. That evening, a young woman was gone, and an entire community was left to understand how this violence arrived. This is the story of that one evening, of that one campus, and of Maple Batalia.For extra episodes, early access, silly bloopers, subscribe at: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudiosJoin our YouTube family: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbfV0YvrxWMq3h0hmo13Jg/joinFor fastest updates, follow our socials at: https://www.instagram.com/desicrimehttps://www.instagram.com/aryaanmisrahttps://www.instagram.com/aishwaryasinghs/To buy Desi Studios merch, visit: https://kadakmerch.com/collections/desi-studios

Dec 28, 2025 • 36min
178. The Murder of Manjit Panghali
Recorded live at Apple BKC, Mumbai It began as a routine evening in Surrey — the kind that never makes headlines. Manjit Panghali stepped out, expecting to return home like she always did. But she didn’t. At first, it was brushed off as a delay… a missed call… a misunderstanding. But as hours passed, the silence grew heavier. What unsettled investigators wasn’t just that she was missing — it was where the trail stopped and who noticed the absence last. This is the story of that seemingly ordinary day, that woman who should’ve returned, and the one person hell bent on making sure she didn’t. This is the story of Manjit Panghali.For extra episodes, early access, silly bloopers, subscribe at: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudios Join our YouTube family: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbfV0YvrxWMq3h0hmo13Jg/joinFor fastest updates, follow our socials at: https://www.instagram.com/desicrime/Aryaan https://www.instagram.com/aryaanmisra/Aishwarya https://www.instagram.com/aishwaryasinghs/To buy Desi Studios merch, visit: https://kadakmerch.com/collections/desi-studios

Dec 21, 2025 • 36min
177. The Freemont Killer: Varun Suresh
This is the story of Freemont’s real life Dexter. This is the story of a 29-year-old Indian-American engineer, Varun Suresh. Get your hands on our favorite gum: https://neurogumindia.comFor extra episodes, early access, silly bloopers, subscribe at: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudios or join our YouTube family https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbfV0YvrxWMq3h0hmo13Jg/joinFor fastest updates, follow our socials at: https://www.instagram.com/desicrime/Aryaan https://www.instagram.com/aryaanmisra/Aishwarya https://www.instagram.com/aishwaryasinghs/To buy Desi Studios merch, visit: https://kadakmerch.com/collections/desi-studios

Dec 13, 2025 • 55min
176. The Murder of Saima Khan
Order our book, Desi Crime, available now on Amazon:https://amzn.in/d/0WyttKWGet the audiobook with our lovely voices: https://www.audible.in/pd/B0FK4L77SY?source_code=ASSORAP0511160007 On some nights, life moves quietly — the kind of quiet that feels ordinary, almost comforting. Streets settle, houses dim, and the world eases into its familiar rhythm. But every so often, a night begins just like that… and ends in a way no one could ever imagine. In the town of Luton, one such night unfolded. Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing warned of the shock that was about to ripple through an entire community. But behind a closed front door, in the span of a few irreversible moments, everything changed. A life was ended. And the questions that would follow would hold the nation in disbelief. This is the story of Saima KhanFor extra episodes, early access, silly bloopers, subscribe at: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudios or join our YouTube family https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbfV0YvrxWMq3h0hmo13Jg/joinFor fastest updates, follow our socials at: https://www.instagram.com/desicrime/Aryaan https://www.instagram.com/aryaanmisra/Aishwarya https://www.instagram.com/aishwaryasinghs/To buy Desi Studios merch, visit: https://kadakmerch.com/collections/desi-studios

Dec 7, 2025 • 2h 38min
175. The Man Who Solved 26/11, Kasaab & Indrani Mukherjee | Rakesh Maria
He solved the 1993 blasts, interrogated Ajmal Kasab, and reshaped Mumbai’s police force—Rakesh Maria is one of India’s most legendary cops. Listeners know we’ve been hinting at “that one guest” for years, and we can’t believe we’re saying this: he’s finally on Desi Crime. In this interview, Maria opens up about investigations, politics, and the human cost of law enforcement. This is a rare conversation with the man behind India’s biggest cases.Buy his latest book now: https://amzn.in/d/bHtYZSi

Dec 4, 2025 • 50min
Chai & Chithi 31 | The House That Waits
Sign up for our Today @ Apple session in Mumbai where you can watch a live Desi Crime Ep recording (for free), at the Apple BKC Store: https://apple.co/desi-crime-podWelcome to Chai & Chithi, a segment where we read some of the scariest, most terrifying, and most haunting stories that YOU send in to us. In this week’s episode, we’re reading: To send us your scary stories to read, write to us at staydesi [at] thedesistudios [dot] com.For extra episodes, early access, silly bloopers, subscribe at: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudios or join our YouTube family https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbfV0YvrxWMq3h0hmo13Jg/joinFor fastest updates, follow our socials at: https://www.instagram.com/desicrime/Aryaan https://www.instagram.com/aryaanmisra/Aishwarya https://www.instagram.com/aishwaryasinghs/To buy Desi Studios merch, visit: https://kadakmerch.com/collections/desi-studios

Nov 29, 2025 • 50min
174. The Case That Broke India | Baby Falak
This is the story of one baby, left broken and battered at a Delhi hospital, who went on to change India. To know more about this case, watch Delhi Crime Season 3, now on Netflix! Some stories don’t begin with a murder. They begin with a mystery — a baby found broken, bruised, and fighting for her life in one of the country’s best hospitals… and no one knowing who she belongs to. A mystery that seems like it will be simple enough to solve. Or so the city believed — until investigators uncovered a truth far more disturbing than neglect. Because this baby wasn’t discarded by a cruel mother. She was stolen from one. And that mother? She wasn’t hiding. She was trapped. Sold. Trafficked. When Delhi Police finally found her, miles away in Rajasthan, what emerged was not just the story of a mother and her missing children — but the story of an entire trafficking machine humming beneath our feet. A machine involving pimps, fake relatives, forged marriages, disappearing children, and a web of criminals stretching from Bihar to Delhi to Rajasthan. And at the center of it all… a baby without a name. This is the story of baby Falak.

Nov 20, 2025 • 54min
173. The Murders of Bear Brook Forest
Order our book, Desi Crime, available now on Amazon:https://amzn.in/d/0WyttKWGet the audiobook with our lovely voices: https://www.audible.in/pd/B0FK4L77SY?source_code=ASSORAP0511160007 In the quiet woods of New Hampshire, there’s a place locals avoid once the sun goes down. A stretch of forest that feels… wrong. For years, whispers have floated through the town — about what was found there, about who might have done it, about how something so horrific could stay hidden in plain sight. It’s a story that begins not with a person, but with a mystery buried deep in the trees. And what lies within it would change American criminal investigation forever. This is the story of that lonely forest, that secret buried within it, and the one man behind it. This is the story of the Bear Brook Murders.For extra episodes, early access, silly bloopers, subscribe at: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudios Join our YouTube family: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbfV0YvrxWMq3h0hmo13Jg/joinFor fastest updates, follow our socials at: https://www.instagram.com/desicrime/Aryaan https://www.instagram.com/aryaanmisra/Aishwarya https://www.instagram.com/aishwaryasinghs/To buy Desi Studios merch, visit: https://kadakmerch.com/collections/desi-studios


