Cop flip-flop over murder weapon

Even though the police claim to have cracked the case of multiple murders that took place on May 21 at Nai Basti area, the investigators on Sunday came up with more details contradicting their earlier findings.

Even though the police claim to have cracked the case of multiple murders that took place on May 21 at Nai Basti area, the investigators on Sunday came up with more details contradicting their earlier findings.

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Now, the police said that the knife used by Rahul Verma, the prime accused for killing seven members of a businessmen's family, was found from a forest near the Hidon river. On May 23, senior officials at a press conference had told that the murder weapon was recovered from the crime scene. They said the knife was left behind by the accused before he escaped through the main gate of the victims' house on the night of May 21.

Verma, 21, was arrested on May 22 from the railway station area and his accomplice Jugnu Jacob from Kotgaon. According to the police, Verma, who used to work as driver of Satish Goel, committed the crime to take revenge because the victim had accused him of stealing. The main accused has already confessed to have killed Goel and his other six family members.

When asked about the different versions over the whereabouts of the weapon, the SP said, "It will help establish a strong case against the accused."

Meanwhile, the shopkeeper who sold the knife to Verma has already given his statement to the police. When HT visited the shop on Saturday, the shopkeeper Shakeel said he mainly deals in scissors and sharpening of grass cutting machines. He said that the knife was around 8-10 inches.

He also said that the accused visited his shop around 3-4pm on May 21 and had purchased a knife for R80. The police had told that the knife was sold for R100.

The weapon is yet to be examined by forensic experts. The case is being investigated by the Ghanta Ghar Kotwali police station house officer. The SHO who was earlier posted at Indiripuram police station was suspended following a custodial death.