Ittefaq (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Vikram fled because he panicked and feared being wrongfully accused of murdering his wife. Since he was found at the scene with no alibi and Catherine had died suddenly, he believed the police would suspect him. He tried to escape in his car but crashed, leading him to seek refuge in Maya's nearby apartment.

• vikram flees
• catherine death
• murder suspicion
• escape

Shekhar was killed with a bloodied candle holder. The investigation revealed that Maya was having an affair, and when Shekhar discovered the photos of her and her lover burning in the trash, a violent confrontation erupted. During the struggle, someone struck Shekhar with the candle holder, killing him.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Maya was seen discarding burnt photographs in her trash, which hinted at her attempt to cover up the affair.

• shekhar death
• candle holder
• maya affair
• murder weapon

Initially, it appeared Catherine died from a heart attack due to a pre-existing condition. However, Detective Dev later discovered that her medication had been tampered with, someone had increased the dosage to a fatal level. This revealed that Vikram had poisoned his own wife to make her death look natural.

• catherine murder
• poisoned medication
• heart attack
• vikram wife

Vikram was exonerated because forensic evidence pointed to another suspect. While initial evidence suggested the attacker was over six feet tall (matching Vikram's height), later discoveries including burnt photographs and Maya's lover's testimony shifted the investigation. The police concluded that Maya's affair led to Shekhar's death, clearing Vikram temporarily.

• vikram exonerated
• forensic evidence
• investigation
• cleared

Maya was having an affair with her lover. When Shekhar discovered burnt photographs of Maya and her lover in the trash, he confronted them, leading to a violent altercation. This confrontation resulted in Shekhar's death, with Maya's lover also present during the incident.

Foreshadowing: The police found burnt photographs in Maya's trash can, which she was trying to destroy to hide her affair.

• maya affair
• shekhar confrontation
• burnt photographs
• secret affair

Vikram confessed that he murdered both Catherine and Shekhar due to threats related to Sandhya's suicide case. His latest book had exposed a gang-related incident that led to Sandhya's death, and he feared those involved would retaliate. He used the double murder as a cover to eliminate threats and escape consequences.

• vikram confession
• sandhya case
• motivations
• murder plot

Vikram devised a clever plan to evade justice. After killing Catherine by tampering with her medication, he fled when her body was discovered. He used the chaos of the evening, being found at Shekhar's murder scene, to create confusion. By planting himself as an innocent bystander and allowing the investigation to focus on Maya's affair, he nearly succeeded in escaping consequences entirely.

• vikram manipulation
• escape justice
• clever plan
• deception

Vikram's latest book exposed a gang-related incident that led to Sandhya's suicide. This revelation put him in danger, as those responsible for Sandhya's death threatened him. This threat became his primary motivation for orchestrating the murders to eliminate witnesses and create a reason to leave India.

• sandhya suicide
• vikram book
• gang incident
• exposed truth

Maya's account was corroborated by her lover, who confirmed her story about Vikram entering the apartment seeking help. Additionally, forensic evidence and the discovery of burnt photographs supported the theory that the murder stemmed from Maya's affair rather than Vikram's involvement, making her version plausible.

• maya testimony
• police investigation
• lover confirmation
• evidence

Detective Dev discovered the truth through careful investigation. After Vikram was exonerated and preparing to leave, Dev investigated Catherine's death further. He found that her medication had been tampered with, revealing she was murdered. This breakthrough, combined with analyzing the timeline and evidence, led to Vikram's confession during a phone call at the airport.

• detective dev investigation
• catherine medication
• truth discovery
• confession

The bloodied candle holder was identified as the murder weapon used to kill Shekhar. It was found near his body in Maya's apartment and became crucial forensic evidence. The weapon connected the crime scene to the violent confrontation that erupted when Shekhar discovered Maya's affair.

• candle holder weapon
• forensic evidence
• shekhar murder weapon
• crime scene

The final twist came when Vikram called Detective Dev just before boarding his flight to confess to both murders. He revealed that he had killed Catherine by tampering with her medication and orchestrated Shekhar's death to eliminate threats related to Sandhya's case. He boasted about how he cleverly exploited the situation, referring to it as 'Ittefaq' (coincidence), revealing the dark extent of his manipulation.

• vikram confession
• final twist
• ittefaq meaning
• airport scene