Game addiction and Rs 5 lakh debt: How accused planned robbery and killed IRS officer's daughter
A Delhi court has sent Rahul Meena, the 19-year-old domestic help accused of killing a senior IRS officer's daughter at her upscale southeast Delhi residence, to four days of police custody.
In a major development in the murder and rape case of a 22-year-old daughter of an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer in South Delhi's Kailash Hills area, police have said the prime accused, 19-year-old Rahul Meena, a former domestic help, may have targeted the house due to mounting debts linked to an alleged online gaming addiction.
According to investigators, the accused had accumulated debts of nearly Rs 5 lakh and had previously sold three mobile phones, including those belonging to family members, to fund his gaming habit. After losing even the money obtained from selling the mobile phones, police believe, the accused hatched a plot to commit theft at his former employer's residence.
Sequence of events
A chilling sequence of events has emerged in the rape and murder of an IRS officer's daughter, with investigators revealing that the accused first tried to strangle her with his hands, then used a mobile phone charger cable, and finally struck her on the head and face with a lamp.
During police interrogation, it also came to light that before arriving in Delhi, the accused had allegedly raped a woman in his neighbourhood in Alwar and then travelled to the city by hitching a ride in an ambulance.After reaching Delhi, he went straight to his former employer's residence. Having worked there for around one and a half years, he was familiar with the household's routine, including who would be present at different times of the day.
Accused dragged victim from upstairs for fingerprint to unlock safe
Shortly after the IRS officer and his wife left the house in the morning, the accused entered the residence. He knew the access card was kept in the shoe rack and used it to get inside, heading straight to the victim's study room.
Once inside, he initially asked her for money, claiming that her mother had sent him. When she questioned how he had entered, he gave evasive answers and then allegedly attacked her. He first tried to strangle her with his hands, then used a mobile phone charger cable, and finally struck her multiple times with a lamp. After she lost consciousness, he sexually assaulted her and dragged her from the upstairs study room to the locker area on the lower floor.
Police said the household locker, which contained cash and jewellery, could only be opened using the fingerprints of the IRS officer, his wife, and the victim. The accused was aware of this and allegedly tried to unlock it by pressing the victim's fingers against the biometric scanner. However, the attempt failed due to blood on her fingers. He then used a screwdriver to force open the locker, stole valuables, and fled.
While leaving, he reportedly pretended to be talking on his mobile phone to avoid drawing suspicion.
Accused has Rs 5 lakh debt
After committing the crime, the accused headed to the railway station, but after missing his train, he took an auto-rickshaw to a hotel in Dwarka. Police later traced his location and arrested him.
During interrogation, he revealed that he had worked at the residence for about one and a half years, earning around Rs 20,000 per month, along with gifts and cash bonuses during festivals. However, he developed an addiction to online gaming, which led to mounting financial losses. To cope, he began buying goods on credit from local shops.
When the IRS officer became aware of his financial behaviour, he initially counselled him. However, after the accused failed to improve, he was removed from the job.
Sources said his gaming addiction had left him with a debt of nearly Rs 5 lakh, which allegedly drove him to target his former employer's house.
Sources indicate that he carried out the crime with extreme brutality; bloodstains were found throughout the house, and the deceased's body bore multiple injury marks.
According to the police, the deceased was an exceptionally bright student. When the police entered her study room, the presence of meticulously scheduled study notes and motivational messages written on the walls clearly demonstrated the seriousness with which she approached her academic pursuits.
She consistently topped every examination she took and was currently preparing for the UPSC civil services examination. Her family members were confident that she would have excelled in this endeavor as well.
Also Read: Inside brutal rape-murder of IRS officer's daughter in Delhi; horrific chain of events revealed