A 23-year-old man, identified as Rahul, has been accused of raping and murdering the daughter of an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer in Delhi, as well as sexually assaulting a woman in Rajasthan's Alwar district within a span of 24 hours earlier this week. His family and villagers describe him as a quiet person with good behavior and strong academic performance.
Family Denies Allegations
Rahul's family has denied the rape allegations, stating that he had no bad habits except for online gaming. His mother told reporters in Alwar that her son exhibited good behavior and that she last spoke to him on the night of April 21 before he left home. She added that the family had no knowledge of his movements after that. A relative echoed this account, noting that Rahul was good in studies and had achieved good marks in his graduation.
Sister's Defense
Rahul's sister dismissed the Alwar case allegations as completely false and suggested that a financial dispute linked to online gaming may have triggered the complaint. She alleged that the Alwar woman's husband and another individual had incurred losses of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 90,000, respectively, while playing online games, leading to mounting debt and pressure to repay money. She explained that Rahul had gone to recover money as he was being pressured and had even pawned his mobile phone for Rs 20,000. She stated, "If Meena has done wrong, then he should be punished."
Villagers' Account
Villagers described Rahul as a quiet individual who completed his BA with first division in 2023 but developed an online gambling habit thereafter. They expressed surprise at the allegations given his previously calm demeanor.
Police Investigation
According to police, Rahul is accused of raping a woman in Alwar on the night of April 21 and, hours later, allegedly raping and murdering the daughter of an IRS officer at her residence in south Delhi. Investigators revealed that Rahul was previously known to the family in Delhi, where he had worked as a domestic help before being removed from service after allegations of misusing money and playing online games. Police sources indicated that he was employed through a relative and lost the job after the IRS officer's family discovered his alleged gaming-related financial misconduct.
An FIR in the Alwar case has been registered under sections relating to rape, causing hurt, and criminal intimidation. The victim's statement is being recorded. Sources said Rahul left a wedding midway on the night of April 21 before allegedly committing the crime in Alwar. He was arrested the following night in connection with the Delhi case. Police briefly detained some of his family members for questioning but later released them. Rahul remains in Delhi Police custody as investigations continue in both cases.
