NEW DELHI: Rahul, the 23-year-old accused rapist-killer, allegedly had a racing mind driven by a desire for quick money. Once a bright student who scored 90% in his Class 12 board exams, he was never inclined towards traditional paths to success.Instead, police say, he drifted into the world of online mobile gambling, where he spent much of his time.He is said to have tasted brief success after winning a Rs 5 lakh jackpot in the past, but his fortunes declined soon after.Sensing trouble, his family reportedly arranged a job for him at the south Delhi home where he later allegedly raped and murdered his former employer’s 22-year-old daughter before raping his friend’s wife in Alwar a day earlier.Police say Rahul, who had worked for around eight months as a domestic help at the residence of an IRS officer in south Delhi, was dismissed 6 weeks ago following concerns over his conduct and financial disputes. After returning to his native village in Rajasthan’s Alwar, he is alleged to have spiralled deeper into debt due to online gambling, borrowing money from multiple sources and even selling personal belongings to sustain the habit.Police and family members said Rahul had accumulated losses of nearly Rs 7 lakh through online gaming platforms such as Teen Patti and Ludo.Financial pressure from lenders and acquaintances is now being examined as a possible trigger behind what investigators describe as a calculated move to commit theft, one that escalated into extreme violence.According to police, the sequence of crimes began on Tuesday night in Alwar. Based on a complaint filed by a man under Rajgarh police limits, Rahul allegedly sexually assaulted his wife after returning alone from a wedding they had attended together. The woman later informed her husband, and a case was registered. Within hours, Rahul allegedly fled Rajasthan and travelled to Delhi, reportedly hitching a ride in an ambulance. He is said to have reached his former employer’s residence early Wednesday morning, where he was familiar with the layout and daily routine of the family.The victim, a 22-year-old IIT Delhi graduate and civil services aspirant, was alone at home at the time, as her parents had stepped out. Police said Rahul gained entry to the house on the pretext of collecting money and went straight to a rooftop study room where she was studying.Cops have reconstructed the sequence that followed. An argument reportedly broke out when the accused demanded money and the woman refused. He allegedly assaulted her, rendering her unconscious, and is suspected to have committed sexual assault during that period. Police said he then inflicted fatal injuries and strangled her using a mobile phone charging cable.Sources said the accused attempted to open a biometric locker by dragging the victim downstairs and using her fingerprints. When that failed, he allegedly broke open the safe using tools and fled with cash and valuables. CCTV footage shows him entering the house in the early morning and leaving within about 40 minutes.Police said Rahul tried to evade detection by switching off his phone, using a stolen device, and making misleading calls while leaving the area. He was eventually tracked through digital evidence, including hotel Wi-Fi logs and social media activity, and arrested from a hotel in Dwarka.During interrogation, police sources said, the accused appeared calm and showed little remorse, claiming he had gone to the house only to take money and that “it just happened” after the victim refused.Family members, meanwhile, described a stark contrast between his past and present. They said Rahul had performed well academically, scoring 73% in Class 10 and 90% in Class 12 in the science stream. His gambling habit, they said, developed after schooling and gradually led to financial distress, disputes, and eventual dismissal from his job in Delhi.Police have registered cases of rape, murder and robbery in Delhi, while Alwar police are pursuing a separate sexual assault case linked to the same accused.
