Monika Ghurde murder: Ex-security guard killed perfumer in fit of rage – Here's the story

Panaji: A man was arrested in Bengaluru in Karnataka on Sunday in connection with the murder of celebrity perfumer Monika Ghurde.

Accused Raj Kumar Singh, a native of Bathinda in Punjab, was employed as a security guard at Sapna Raj, the residential complex the woman was living in, but was sacked after she complained he was not doing his job properly, Deputy Inspector General of Police Vimal Gupta told media persons here last evening.

As per mid-day, a witness statement to the police said, “In August, (Raj Kumar) Singh had stolen her (Monika's) umbrella that was later found in his possession. A heated argument ensued between Ghurde and Singh, following which his services were terminated by the upscale society. However, he had been unable to secure any employment after that and that could be the reason he killed her.”

"Kumar was removed on Ghurde's complaint for not doing his job properly," the DIG said, adding that he had also stolen the victim's mobile phone.

"A probe at the crime scene revealed her mobile phone was missing. We put it on surveillance," Gupta said, adding that keeping a track of repeated ATM withdrawals from Goa, Mangaluru and Bengaluru and her mobile phone eventually helped police hunt down the accused.

The accused had withdrawn over Rs 1 lakh by using the victim's stolen ATM card in Goa, Mangaluru and Bengaluru, before he was arrested by a joint team of Karnataka and Goa Police on Sunday afternoon.

Ghurde, 39, was found dead on Thursday in her three-bedroom apartment in Sangolda village, around 10 km from Panaji.

Her partially clothed body was found lying on bed, with her hands and feet tied. The post-mortem examination report suggested she was strangled.