Mumbai, Nov 6 (IANS) The man who allegedly raped and robbed a Spanish woman in her flat here has been arrested, police said Tuesday. Mohammed Anwar Ansari was detained for questioning a day ago.
"We had detained Mohammed Anwar Ansari alias Badshah last (Monday) night. After questioning him today (Tuesday), we arrested him," Assistant Commissioner of Police S. Marathe told IANS.
Ansari would be produced in court Wednesday, he said.
Police sources said the 27-year-old Spanish national had identified the accused but a formal identification would take place in two days in compliance with court orders.
Sources also said that Ansari was the same man who burgled the apartment of actor Dino Morea Oct 27.
Police had launched a manhunt for the accused who was believed to be a serial robber.
A police officer said the accused had threatened the woman with a knife, forced her to have a bath and wiped his fingerprints before fleeing with cash.
The search had narrowed to one man after around 50 people were questioned.
Piecing together the horrific details, police sources said the man entered the victim's flat, raped her twice and later ordered her to take a bath. He spent around 45 minutes at the victim's flat and smoked two of her cigarettes. He is also believed to have wiped off fingerprints and traces of evidence that might have been left in the course of his stay.
The man then fled the scene with cash in Indian and foreign currency and a few valuables.
According to Additional Commissioner of Police Vishwas Nangre-Patil, the preliminary medical examination of the victim has confirmed sexual assault. The prime motive was robbery, he said.
Quoting the FIR filed by the victim, Nangre-Patil said the accused held the victim at knife-point after he entered the apartment through an open window.
This is the second such incident in the last 10 days. On Oct 28, two unidentified youths had allegedly attacked and molested a 21-year-old Russian woman at Worli Seaface in Mumbai.
The woman was left with a bruised lower lip after one of the accused bit her. She had left the city without filing a police complaint.
However, the cops took suo motu cognisance of the matter and filed a case against the two unidentified men.
