Charges framed against rapist, killer of journalist's widow

A court framed rape and murder charges against 22-year-old domestic help, accused of raping and murdering the 81-year-old widow of a former news agency journalist at her residence here, sources said Friday.

"Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna Wednesday framed rape, murder and destruction of evidence charges against Neeraj Saifi," said court sources.

Saifi, a resident of Madhubani in Bihar, was working as domestic help in the house of the elderly woman.

The court fixed Nov 7 for commemcing prosecution evidence in the case.

The body of Rekha Duggal was recovered around 9.30pm July 7 from the second-floor flat of her four-storey building in south Delhi's posh Greater Kailash II area.

According to police, Duggal's post-mortem examination report revealed that she was strangulated with a dupatta, beaten up and later set on fire.

Saifi, who was employed seven months ago at Duggal's home, was arrested just after the incident.

Duggal, whose husband K.K. Duggal, a journalist with the United News of India news agency, died in 2005, was staying on the first floor of her house, which she had gifted to her elder sister residing in the US.