The police have categorically ruled out the presence of an accomplice.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Vimal Anand Gupta on Tuesday stated that the police have obtained clinching evidence in the form of Singh’s facial hair recovered from Ghurde’s flat where he shaved, which places him at the scene of crime.
Presently, the time frame of the offence is roughly being placed from 6.30 pm on October 5, when Singh entered Ghurde’s apartment and 3.30 am on October 6, soon after which he made a withdrawal from an ATM booth in Porvorim using the ATM card stolen from her.
Singh was brought to Goa from Bangalore on transit remand on Monday and Judicial Magistrate First Class, Mapusa has granted the investigating team six days police custody of the accused.
During his interrogation, the 21-year-old accused has revealed that the deceased Ghurde visited Sapna Raj Valley, Sangolda on June 7 looking for rented apartments. Singh was manning the main gate and informed her about the vacant flats.
Ghurde moved into the residential complex around four to five days later.
“Singh has told the police that he was attracted to Ghurde from the first time he saw her and had kept a tab on her after she moved in. He knew that Ghurde lived alone and that not many people visited her,” DIG Gupta stated.
Meanwhile, Singh began interacting with Ghurde on frequent basis as she, like many other residents of the complex, used to pay him to wash her car. He was aware of the layout of her flat as he visited the place on numerous occasions to take or to hand over her car keys.
Singh was dismissed from employment by the security agency on July 22 after Ghurde’s missing umbrella was recovered from his room.
The police have learnt from the agency administration that although Ghurde’s complaint about her stolen umbrella was the last straw, several other complaints were received over the last few months from other residents that Singh had slacked in performance of security-related duties as he had begun to wash cars to earn some extra money on the side.
However, Singh assumed that his dismissal was solely on account of Ghurde’s complaint.
He was not paid roughly two months of his salary amounting to Rs 20,000.
After his dismissal, Singh worked as a labourer in Ponda for a few days and then roamed in Chennai, Pune, Mumbai and Hyderabad looking for employment without much success.
Singh has also disclosed that since July 22, he contacted Ghurde twice in an attempt to pressurize her to put in a word to get his employment back.
Penniless and without any gainful employment in sight, the frustrated man returned to Goa on October 2 and planned his revenge.
Superintendent of Police (North) Umesh Gaonkar, who is closely monitoring the case, informed that Singh entered Sapna Raj Valley's main gate during the day on October 3 and went up to the terrace of Ghurde’s rented apartment.
“He remained perched on the terrace over the next two days looking for an opportunity to enter her flat unnoticed. During these two days, he drank water from a tap and ate bread, which he found in a bag outside one flat,” SP Gaonkar informed.
During this time, Singh kept a close watch on Ghurde’s car. On October 5, he came down from the terrace twice; at 1.30 pm and then at 3.30 pm when he saw her car in the parking lot.
At 6.30 pm on October 5, Singh knocked on Ghurde’s door and said that he is the security supervisor.
Once, Ghurde opened the door, Singh flashed the knife at her and overpowered her. He closed her mouth with his hand so that she would be unable to raise an alarm. The knife has yet to be recovered.
“He then took her to the bathroom. By this time she was in a semi-conscious state. He then dragged her to the bed, where he tied her hands and legs. He then demanded money from her,” DIG Gupta said.
At this point, Ghurde told him that he can take Rs 4,000 from her purse. But when Singh demanded for more money, she said he can take her ATM debit card. He also forced the ATM PIN from her.
To ensure that she wouldn’t call anybody, Singh took her phone and also coaxed the phone password out of her.
He then forced Ghurde to watch three pornographic clips.
During this time, Singh, who was starving after having spent two days on the terrace, went to the kitchen and boiled two eggs. He ate the eggs as well as some chocolates.
He then untied Ghurde’s legs and sexually assaulted her.
“While he was at Ghurde’s flat, the accused shaved. We have clinching evidence pining him to the scene of crime as we have recovered his facial hair from Ghurde’s flat,” DIG Gupta added.
Fearing that she would disclose his offence to the police, he choked her neck with his hands and suffocated her using a pillow.
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BOX
n - Singh enters Sapna Raj Valley's main gate on Oct 3, and goes up to the terrace
- He later chokes her neck and suffocates with a pillow, fearing that she would disclose his offence to the cops
- Remains there for next two days, looks for opportunity to enter her flat
- Drinks tap water and eats bread from a bag outside a flat
- On Oct 5, he comes down from the terrace at 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm when he spots her car. At 6.30 pm, he knocks on Ghurde’s door, saying he is the security supervisor
- Once Ghurde opens the door, Singh flashes the knife, overpowers and gags her
- He then takes her to the bathroom. Ghurde is then dragged in a semi-conscious state to the bed, where Singh ties her hands and legs
- After demanding money, Ghurde tells him to take Rs 4,000 from her purse. But when he demands more, she tells him to take the ATM card and forces her to reveal the PIN.
- Singh takes her phone, coaxes the phone password out of her, and later forces Ghurde to watch porn clips.
- Eats boiled eggs and chocolate, and even shaves, and later sexually assaults her
FATAL ATTRACTION
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- After completing his Std 12, young Rajkumar Singh joined open schooling and had completed his first year of Bachelor in Commerce
- Singh was attracted to Ghurde since the first time he saw her, and began keeping tabs on her. Was aware she lived alone, and that she didn't have many visitors
- He began interacting with Ghurde on frequently, and would get paid to wash her car
- Singh was also aware of the layout of her flat as he visited the place to take or to hand over her car keys
**
n n
- He arrived in Goa on April 5, 2016 and began working as a security guard under the AB Group Security, Patto. On May 5, 2016, he joined Force Security as a security guard and was deployed at Sapna Raj Valley, Sangolda
