Trial begins in rape, murder of journalist's widow

A court here Friday began recording of statement of prosecution witnesses in the rape and murder of 81-year-old widow of a former news agency journalist at her residence here.

Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna recorded the statement of a doctor, a prosecution witness in the case.

The trial, to be conducted on daily basis, will continue Monday.

The court in September framed charges of rape, murder and destruction of evidence against the accused, Neeraj Saifi.

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

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

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

Saifi, who was hired seven months before the incident, was arrested just after the incident.

Woman's husband, who was a journalist with a reputed news agency of the country, died in 2005.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

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