SANGOLDA: In what can poke holes in the Goa Police probe in the murder of perfumer Monica Ghurde, Herald investigations found that there is no access to the terrace of Sapna Raj Valley residential complex.
This fact contradicts the version of the accused, Rajkumar Singh, who told the police that he stayed on the terrace for two days tracking Ghurde’s movements before killing her.
A worker at the complex told Herald that while there is no access to the terrace, the only way one can access the top is through a window which remains locked. “Once there was a honeybee comb in the building and to remove it we wanted to climb onto the terrace. We had to get the key of the upper window of the passage and open it and only then we got access to the terrace,” the worker, on condition of anonymity, said.
Also, the terrace of the building is open to the sky, it is not covered with a roof, but has aluminum sheets covering the floor of the terrace, which would mean that Singh would have to standing on the aluminum sheets for two days under the heat of the sun.
“We are shocked by the police saying that Singh told them that he stayed for two days on the terrace under the open sky and in the heat during the day,” another worker from a neighboring building stated.
The security guard who was on duty during day told Herald that he had not seen Singh anytime during the period the police have mentioned.
Police had said that Singh entered the residential complex through the main gate which again is not possible during the day as the gate remains closed and entry is possible only if the security guards open the gate. The duty guard said Singh did not enter through the main gate during the day. The only other possibility is that he could have jumped over the compound wall of the complex.
Another piece of information that Singh was working with Sapna Raj Valley since June 2016 and came to Goa in April 2016 has been questioned by residents who claim that he was working there prior to May.
Before working as a security guard at Sapna Raj Valley he was working in a neighbouring apartment and also used to wash the cars here.
“We were shocked to hear that Singh murdered Monica, he was very good to everybody here,” a security guard told Herald.
Meanwhile the CCTV footage circulating in social media, purportedly of the accused getting arrested at a Bangalore hotel, on close scrutiny, raises questions and doubts. One plain clothes policeman, stationed at the checkout counter sees the accused. He then walks out and gets three of his team inside who walk up to the counter where the accused is checking out. With absolutely no resistance, the accused allows the supposed cops to take him away. Importantly, in less than a minute since he got nabbed, he is heard in an audio, played by a local channel, “Hamne hi madam ko mara hain” (I’m the one who killed madam). While this footage has not been certified by Goa Police, the entire episode does seem a trifle stage managed.
It is extremely important for the police to look at emerging facts, even if they contradict original theories and explanations. It’s better to solve this right, than solve it quick.
