Indian Muslim teen kidnapped, raped, murdered, after relationship with Arab Muslim, UK court hears
An Indian Muslim teenager was kidnapped by two men in balaclavas before being raped and murdered after she began a relationship with an Arab Muslim, a court has heard.
The body of Celine Dookhran, 19, was found inside a $2.4 million London home after the suspected honour killing. A woman in her 20s, who had her throat slit, alerted police from hospital.
Ms Dookhran was allegedly tasered and dragged from the shower before she was kidnapped with the other woman, bound and gagged and taken to an address in Kingston-upon-Thames where they were both raped and Ms Dookran was killed on July 19.
A post mortem gave the cause of death as an incised wound to the neck.
Mujahid Arshid, 33, appeared in court charged with the murder, rape and kidnap of Ms Dookhran.
He is further charged with the rape, attempted murder and kidnap of the second woman.
He appeared alongside his co-defendant, Vincent Tappu, 28, who is charged with the kidnap of both women.
“The deceased was involved in a relationship with an Arab Muslim and the family members didn’t approve of this relationship because they are Indian Muslims,” prosecutor Binita Roscoe said.
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Ms Roscoe said two men in balaclavas entered the property on July 19.
The second woman's face and mouth were covered in duct tape. Her hands were tied with cable ties and her feet were tied with rope.
“She believes a sock was placed in her mouth. She had heard the deceased who was in the shower screaming,” Ms Roscoe said.
“The deceased was brought down tied up. They were bound in dust sheets and placed in a vehicle.”
Ms Dookhran, the eldest of three children, was born in Wandsworth, inner London, in 1996 and was passionate about make-up.
Her Twitter feed is full of advice on using cosmetics and did the make-up for an A-level film made at sixth form.
Her last tweet, posted a week before her death, read: “Alhamdulilah (praise God) for everything that’s all I can say.”
Bearded Arshid wore a grey prison-issue tracksuit, while his co-defendant wore a black suit and white shirt, with short black hair and a beard.
They were flanked by three dock officers.
A young man and a woman sat in the packed public gallery during the hearing at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.
A middle-aged man and a woman, wearing a headscarf, sat in the well of the court, who Tappu nodded at.
District Judge James Henderson remanded Tappu, of Ealing, west London, and Arshid, who gave no fixed address, in custody.
Arshid will appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, while both men are due to appear at the same court on August 21.
