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‘Severed hand’ victim’s husband says: I’m innocent
Peter Dominiczak and Justin Davenport20.11.09
The estranged husband held as a suspect over the killing of his wife has denied he had anything to do with her death and said he has done “nothing wrong”.
Harpreet Aulakh, 31, was questioned and then bailed by police after mother-of-two Geeta Aulakh was left dying in the street with her right hand cut off and serious head wounds.
Detectives are said to be investigating the possibility that Mrs Aulakh was held down by a number of men. It has increased speculation she may have been the victim of an “honour” killing.
Mr Aulakh said outside a home he rents with other men in Hounslow that he was innocent. “I love Geeta, I would never hurt her,” he said. “I had nothing to do with it. CCTV proves I was in a pub at the time. I was nowhere near the crime scene.
“The police arrested me because I helped them with a gang-related crime years ago, a shooting in Hounslow, and they had me on file. I'm going to find out who did this, and those people will pay, even if it takes the rest of my life.”
He added: “I know I am the prime suspect, but everyone is convicting me. I'm scared walking on the street.”
The Met confirmed that Mr Aulakh had received death threats last year and a man was later jailed for violent disorder. The threats are believed to have been connected to the shooting. The man who allegedly made them was found not guilty of the allegation.
Mrs Aulakh called police to report domestic arguments with her husband in 2002 and last year. She did not report any crime and had not been hurt, so no further action was taken.
Mr Aulakh and five other men arrested over the death on Tuesday were questioned for 36 hours and released on bail. Yesterday police arrested six new suspects — all believed to be illegal immigrants — in Ealing.
Mrs Aulakh had told her family she felt “hounded and threatened” in recent months. The couple had separated a year ago and Mrs Aulakh was seeking a divorce.
But it is believed her unemployed husband was desperate for the marriage to work, visiting her at her job with community station Sunrise Radio.
