Swiss woman murdered in Delhi; accused arrested

A man was arrested by the police in west Delhi, a day after a woman's body was discovered near an MCD-run school. According to the authorities, the suspect confessed that he met the victim from Switzerland through a dating app. Following a dispute, he allegedly strangled her to death.

The police, however, said that they are yet to verify the sequence of events and other details as no identity proof of the woman has been recovered so far.

The accused, identified as Gurpreet Singh (30), was arrested from his house in Janakpuri where he resides with his parents and sister.

Delhi Police officials claimed that Rs 2.10 crore cash was recovered from his house after which the Income Tax department was also informed.

According to a police officer, the suspect was arrested based on CCTV footage in which he was seen sitting in a white colour Hyundai Santro car which was used for dumping the body.

The body of the woman, who was believed to be in her early 30s, was found near the Municipal Corporation of Delhi school on Friday morning with its upper part covered with a black garbage disposal plastic bag. The victim's limbs were tied with metal chains.

Gurpreet had bought the car earlier this month for Rs 2 lakh from a second-hand car dealer in the name of another woman resident of Janakpuri, police said.

"It is suspected that the accused wanted to mislead the police, that's why he bought the car in someone else's name," said a police officer.

The woman told the police that she was not aware that the car was bought by Gurpreet using her residence proof.

Police recovered the car from Janakpuri late Friday night and subsequently nabbed the accused from his house.

Police said Gurpreet was continuously changing his statement and tried to mislead the police with several versions.

Gurpreet told the police that he befriended the woman through a dating app a few years ago.

She would often talk to him over the phone and on October 11 she came from Switzerland to Delhi to meet Gurpreet. She stayed with Gurpreet, but two days ago they had a quarrel over an issue following which he strangled her to death, the police said quoting Gurpreet.

He told the police that he tied her hands and legs with chains and kept the body in the car. The body was lying in the car, but when the foul smell started emanating, he dumped it in Tilak Nagar near the MCD school.

Police said that Gurpreet's family owns several properties nearby and the recovery of the large amount of cash from his possession was also being investigated.

The police have not found anyone who could identify the woman except Gurpreet. "We have also questioned Gurpreet's family members," said an official.

Police said Gurpreet's questioning and further investigation were still on.

(With agency inputs)