The family of Rahul Meena, the 19-year-old accused of raping and murdering an IRS officer’s daughter in Delhi and allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in Rajasthan’s Alwar, has described him as a “quiet” and well-behaved person, even as police continue their investigation into the two cases that reportedly took place within 24 hours.
Speaking to reporters in Alwar, Meena’s relatives defended his character and denied the allegations against him. His mother, a homemaker, said she last spoke to her son on the night of April 21 before he left home.
“I spoke to him that night, and after that, we could not contact him. The next day, police came and informed us about the incident,” she said, adding that the family had no knowledge of his movements after that.
Family members maintained that Meena had a good academic record and behaviour. One of his uncles said he was “good in studies” and had scored well in graduation. According to reports, he had secured around 90 per cent marks in Class 12.
Rejecting the rape allegation from Rajgarh in Alwar, Meena’s sister called it “completely false.” She claimed that a financial dispute linked to online gaming may have led to the accusation and explained his visit to the Delhi residence.
“He had gone to recover money as he was being pressured,” she said, adding that he had even pawned his mobile phone for Rs 20,000. She further alleged that Meena and the husband of the Alwar complainant had suffered financial losses in online gaming, amounting to Rs 5 lakh and Rs 90,000 respectively, which created pressure to repay debts.
“If Meena has done wrong, then he should be punished,” she added.
Villagers in the area also described Meena as a reserved individual with no known bad habits earlier, though some said he developed an online gambling habit after completing his graduation. According to police, Meena is accused of raping a woman in Alwar on the night of April 21 and, hours later, allegedly committing rape and murder at a Delhi residence. Investigators said he was previously known to the Delhi family, where he had worked as a domestic help before being removed from the job.
Police said the job had been arranged by his maternal uncle, but he was later dismissed after the family found out about his involvement in online gaming and alleged misuse of their money.
An FIR has been registered in the Alwar case under sections related to rape, causing hurt and criminal intimidation, and the victim’s statement is being recorded. According to reports Meena allegedly left a wedding midway on the night of April 21 before committing the crime in Alwar. He was arrested the following night in connection with the Delhi case.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
