Watchman acquitted of murdering, attempting to rape 72-year-old woman

MUMBAI: The sessions court on Monday acquitted 29-year-old Kashmir resident, Mohamad Rafi, of the charges of killing a 72-year-old woman after trying to rape her in a housing society in Oshiwara, where he worked as a watchman

MUMBAI: The sessions court on Monday acquitted 29-year-old Kashmir resident, Mohamad Rafi, of the charges of killing a 72-year-old woman after trying to rape her in a housing society in Oshiwara, where he worked as a watchman.

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Rafi had been in prison since his arrest in March 2016.

On January 11, 2016, the victim was found in a pool of blood in her apartment by her grandson. He claimed that his grandparents stayed in a separate house where the woman was found dead.

On the day of the incident, the complainant’s grandfather had gone to Sakinaka while the grandmother was alone at home. He called his grandmother repeatedly, but she did not pick up the phone and when he reached the house, he found that safety door of the flat was opened but the main door was shut.

When he rang the doorbell, no one answered. That is when he started looking for her grandmother from the window and noticed from the window of the bedroom, that his grandmother was lying under the bed.

He called the watchman and asked him to break open the door. However, as the watchman did not reach quickly, he broke the lock himself and entered the house. In the bedroom he saw his grandmother lying under the bed in a pool of blood. She was tied up and her throat slit.

A murder case was registered with Oshiwara police station.

During the probe, the police suspected Rafi and arrested him on March 3, 2016. Police claimed that the accused had also tried to rape her as during the investigation, a cushion was found to have semen spread over it.

The semen samples found on the cushion matched with that of the accused, the police claimed and, on that basis, booked the accused for the murder and attempted rape.

During the trial, Rafi’s lawyer Wahab Khan pointed out that Rafi was illegally detained from the day of the incident by the police. He pointed out that false evidence was created to implicate him, and false evidence was planted at the place of offence.

“The society members and even the family members of the victim have admitted that Rafi was illegally detained prior to his formal arrest. The court has found the evidence not sufficient to hold Rafi guilty of rape and murder beyond reasonable doubt. Hence acquitted him,” said Wahab.