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NARRATOR: It's the evening rush hour
in London.
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A woman has been savagely attacked
on her way home.
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It was a perfect attack site.
Somebody had thought about this.
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ls there some kind
of symbolic reason
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why this hand's been severed?
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Was it some kind
of ritualistic attack?
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Whoever did this,
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they wanted to finish Geeta
completely.
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The crime scene holds the secrets
to unlocking the case.
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You cannot attack somebody
so viciously
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with such a large weapon
and not have blood on your clothing.
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There's a huge number of challenges
that the police are faced with
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when they've got to search a canal.
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But if the murder weapon's there,
we will find it.
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There was a huge amount of blood
at the scene,
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and it appears that it's been
a very frenzied attack.
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The right hand
was completely severed off,
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with the exception
of a small bit of skin.
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That was all her hand
was held on by.
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Ancl all her mandibles
had been cut through,
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so this is a vicious, severe attack.
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For members of the public,
to come across
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a severely injured female
covered in blood on the street
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is clearly not the normal thing
to see on a commute home
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on a busy November evening.
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A horrendous incident
to come across.
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So their first thoughts would be
preservation of life.
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The woman is rushed
to Charing Cross Hospital,
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and police cordon off the street.
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Forensic trainer Sarah Thirkell
has worked as a crime scene manager
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on hundreds of murder cases.
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There appears to be a huge amount
of blood on the pavement
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but also directional blood
up the wall of a house,
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which in my mind suggests
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that she was potentially attacked
in sit...
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This wall was a bricked wall,
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so the interpretation
of the blood spatter
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might be a little bit
more challenging
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because obviously the brick
would soak up a lot of the blood.
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I would consider at that scene
calling out a blood spatter expert.
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The crime scene manager
works closely
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with senior investigating officer
DCI Howard Groves.
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From the dispersal of blood,
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we're reasonably satisfied
that where she had fallen
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was more than likely the place
where she was attacked.
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My initial thoughts was,
"Was this a stranger attack?
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"Was this premeditated?
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"Or was that person in
the wrong place at the wrong time?
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"Was there any CCTV
that we could use
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"that would give us an advantage
into what actually happened?"
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Detective inspector john Finch
is brought in
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to run the investigation
on the ground.
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When I got to the crime scene,
lthought
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"This is a great place
for somebody to be attacked."
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There's a brick wall there,
it's poorly lit,
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it's on the corner of a road
with a gable end of a house,
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not many people
overlooking the scene.
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It was a good choice of an attack.
Somebody had thought about this.
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Foremost in our mind
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would be to identify
the victim's next of kin.
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None of the woman's belongings
are missing,
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ruling out robbery.
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Officers recover work ID,
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naming her as 28-year-old
mother of two Geeta Aulakh.
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From the first time
I met the family,
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you could see that they were just
completely grief-stricken.
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Geeta was a loved daughter,
sister, mother.
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Ancl she worked hard at Sunrise Radio
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trying to bring up her two boys
as best she could.
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In the early hours
of the next morning,
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Geeta succumbs to her injuries.
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This was the murder
of a loving mother of two boys.
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This was... was outrageous...
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and the most barbaric way
of killing somebody.
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Now a murder investigation,
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CSls look for traces
left behind by the killer.
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An attack site like this,
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the offender may not leave
very much forensic evidence.
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If they've attacked her
with a knife,
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they will probably have taken
the knife or weapon away with them.
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When there's been
such a ferocious attack,
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there may well be trace evidence
on the victim from the offender.
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They might have scratched
the offender's face,
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or there might be fibres
caught in their fingernails.
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Not having the victim in situ
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is forensically quite
a difficult situation to cope with
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because a lot of evidence
that might be on that victim
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has been taken to hospital.
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And obviously,
with the preservation of life
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being the paramount importance,
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hospital staff and ambulance staff
aren't thinking about trace evidence
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that might be on her clothes.
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Any hairs or fibres
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or any other blood
from a potential offender.
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Meanwhile, officers on the ground
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narrow down the time
Geeta was attacked.
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We send a team
to knock on the doors
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to find out who was there
at the time,
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whether they heard anything,
whether they saw anything,
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whether they can help us
in any other way.
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We were told very early
in the investigation
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that a child had heard a scream
and told their parents,
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and this was useful to us.
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It gave us an exact time, really,
of when Geeta had been attacked.
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Between the time 18:55
to roughly about seven o'clock,
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she was attacked.
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Apart from the witness
who heard the screams,
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we were not able to identify
any other witnesses.
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CCTV enquiries also draw a blank.
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That was surprising, bearing in mind
it was a built-up area.
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It may just be
that it was a blind spot.
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On occasion, sometimes you don't get
all of those things falling in a row
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for you as an investigating officer,
you have to run with what you have.
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What we did not have is the weapon,
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and that was crucial
to the investigation going forward.
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We knew that we were going
to have to get that eureka moment
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at some point
to progress the investigation.
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The team are convinced
Geeta was the intended target.
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What struck me about the attack
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was the ferocious nature
of the assault.
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Ancl the thing that was going
through my mind at that point,
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along with my colleagues,
was why?
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Why was she attacked so viciously?
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She was a doting mother.
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She was loved by her family
and her friends.
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Ancl she was somebody
who was happy-go-lucky, gregarious.
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So it didn't fit the mould
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to say why someone
would want to have killed her.
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The way it happened,
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it looked like whoever did this,
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they wanted to finish Geeta
completely.
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We're then looking basely
at something called victimology.
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If you look at Geeta,
find out how she lived her life,
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then we might stand a better chance
of actually solving this murder.
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NARRATOR: 28-year-old Geeta Aulakh
has been killed
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on a quiet London street
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in what appears to be
a targeted attack.
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As well as
catastrophic head injuries,
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Geeta's right hand
has been mutilated.
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ls there some kind
of symbolic reason
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why this hand's been severed?
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Was it some kind
of ritualistic attack?
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Was it some other reason
why her hand been severed,
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or actually,
was it defence injuries?
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That's something
that's really important for us
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to try and ascertain
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cos that may then lead us
to the offender.
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An update from the mortuary
informs police
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that Geeta was attacked from behind.
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Pathology report suggested
that it was one attacker
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and one weapon had been used.
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We knew it wasn't
a blunt instrument.
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We knew it had to be a sword
or a machete or a large knife.
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So that meant that we could hone in
on what we were looking for
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because we would've also conducted
searches close to the scene
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to see if we could establish
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whether or not a weapon
was still in the area.
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Cause of death
is serious head injuries.
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The pathologist indicated
that the injury to her right hand
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was actually a defence injury,
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which then changes the perspective
of the police investigation
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in so far as it's not some kind
of ritualistic kind of attack.
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Although Geeta's hand injuries
don't appear to be intentional,
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the ferocity of the attack
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leads police to suspect
it was personal.
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Early on, we've concluded
the door-to-door investigations.
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It didn't really give us the smoking
gun that we were looking for.
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I need to bit about Geeta.
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Who would wanna do this?
What's their motivation for it?
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Is it from mistaken identity?
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Has somebody got a grudge
against Geeta,
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and if so, who's that?
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Particularly for us, there was
an acrimonious relationship
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between her
and her estranged husband.
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Geeta and Harpreet Aulakh,
known as Sunny,
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met at a bus stop in 1999.
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It was a relationship based on love.
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Geeta's family
were not that approving of Sunny.
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They were from different faiths.
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Sunny was a very proud
and religious Sikh man,
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and Geeta was Hindu.
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Ancl to have the merging
of these two faiths
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was quite unusual,
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and it wasn't well-received
within the friendship groups.
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Ancl as a couple,
they had eloped to the continent,
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where Geeta had... got pregnant.
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They had two boys together.
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They came back to the UK
to live in the UK.
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Because Geeta's marriage was,
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someone would argue,
a loved marriage,
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something that she chose herself,
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it's frowned upon
in that community at that time.
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As a female, you're born into
a lot of pressure to conform,
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to behave a certain way,
to act a certain way.
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So you don't have that opportunity
to just be your true self.
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Choosing somebody,
moving away from where you belonged,
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must've been a lot of pressure
on Geeta's shoulders.
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Police gather intelligence
on Sunny Aulakh.
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Sunny saw himself as a real big fish
in the Southall community.
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He would help sponsor
the students and the young men
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coming across from the Punjab
into the UK.
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And he'd provide them
with bed and board,
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he'd provide them with some jobs,
and he saw himself
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as a bit of a fixer
within the Southall community.
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Then as time went by,
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Sunny was carrying out
small-time criminal actions,
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dealing drugs,
and doing various things
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in the Southall community.
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Ancl Geeta, frankly,
had had enough of this.
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Geeta wanted
to have a loving family.
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She didn't want this for her boys.
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Police records
show Sunny has previous convictions
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for burglary, drink-driving,
and assaulting a police officer.
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Further digging also reveals
that the marriage was failing.
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Sunny was a very controlling man,
and he was convinced
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00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,215
that Geeta was having an affair
with people at Sunrise Radio.
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He used to call her
on her lunch break.
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He used to stand outside
Sunrise Radio.
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He used to stalk his own wife.
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We never had anything to suggest
that she was having an affair,
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but Sunny had it in his mind
that she was having an affair
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because nine or ten months before,
Geeta had decided,
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"I don't want to be married to you
any more."
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She wanted to separate from Sunny.
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It's difficult for South Asian women
to leave any sort of relationship
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because you come
into the relationship
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maintaining, holding the honour
of the family.
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So there's additional things
to think about
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because you're not just leaving
a relationship, you're leaving...
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You're breaking two families apart.
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After nearly ten years of marriage,
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Geeta has ended her relationship
with Sunny,
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moving out with her two sons
and filing for divorce.
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That would be a huge challenge
to his power,
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00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:06,415
and another layer on top of that is,
"What would people think?
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"What would the community think?
What would people in India think?"
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He has a lot to lose
reputation-wise,
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so that's a complete blow
to his entire identity.
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With his history of violence...
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you could see that...
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the fingers
would be pointing towards him.
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Police urgently need to speak
to Sunny Aulakh.
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Intelligence finds him
at a friend's house in Hounslow.
244
00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:39,015
He's arrested on suspicion of murder
and brought in for questioning.
245
00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:44,335
The team found him
quite arrogant, cocky.
246
00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,575
He didn't seem concerned
about the welfare of Geeta,
247
00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,895
which my colleagues
found quite surprising at the time.
248
00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,775
As far as he was concerned,
they were in a loving relationship,
249
00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,335
and the relationship
had its ups and downs,
250
00:13:58,360 --> 00:13:59,895
but they were working through it.
251
00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:04,375
Police ask Sunny what he was doing
at the time Geeta was attacked.
252
00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,175
He gives us a watertight alibi.
253
00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,655
He tells us
that the night his wife was killed,
254
00:14:12,680 --> 00:14:13,895
he was at a pub up the road.
255
00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:16,775
We actually visited the pub.
256
00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,055
We were able to look at the CCTV,
257
00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:23,095
and it confirmed
that he was in the pub with friends,
258
00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:27,175
playing pool
and buying drinks at the bar.
259
00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,135
He started arguing with the barman,
he'd even paid on a credit card
260
00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:31,815
that he'd never used before as well.
261
00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,975
So for me, his alibi
that he thought was very good...
262
00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,935
For me, this alibi was just...
It was too watertight.
263
00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,695
And based on us being able
to prove conclusively
264
00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,255
that he was not the person
who carried out the attack,
265
00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:47,495
or that he was present
during the attack,
266
00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,775
he was bailed
pending further inquiries.
267
00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,415
The team begin to piece together
Geeta's final movements.
268
00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,495
From the limited information
in the beginning,
269
00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:01,215
it looked like something
that was targeted.
270
00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,455
Nothing was stolen from Geeta,
so it looked deliberate,
271
00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:11,735
like whatever happened, they were
on a mission to kill/murder Geeta.
272
00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,015
At approximately 6pm
on the day she was killed,
273
00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,575
Geeta left Sunrise Radio,
where she worked as a receptionist.
274
00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:21,735
We got the CCTV footage.
275
00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:23,455
Geeta had taken a bus
276
00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,175
from Sunrise Radio
round to the Greenford Road,
277
00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,175
got off the bus and walked
a short distance, five-minute walk,
278
00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,935
and she was on her way to the
childminder to pick up her two boys.
279
00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:36,335
She never made it.
280
00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,095
Geeta gets off 105 bus,
roughly here.
281
00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:46,575
She walks up a very short distance
and then turns left.
282
00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:48,855
She carries on
in the direction of Braund Avenue,
283
00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,015
and we know that that's the route
that she would normally have taken,
284
00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:53,895
and there's nothing
to suggest otherwise.
285
00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,135
She carries on down,
and at some point,
286
00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,815
she then ends up
on the right-hand side of the road.
287
00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,615
Er, she's found by witnesses nearby,
288
00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:05,415
so we are surmising that
the person to carry out the attack
289
00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,535
was somewhere waiting on her
before attacking her.
290
00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,615
But there was no information
or evidence at that point
291
00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,935
to suggest
that she knew who her attacker was.
292
00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,375
This as a mother
makes me feel quite upset.
293
00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,735
For her to be killed within a few
metres of where her children were
294
00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,495
is quite an upsetting incident.
295
00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,295
With the crime scene harvest
complete,
296
00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,015
police are no closer
to identifying the killer.
297
00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,255
Very early on in the investigation,
298
00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,175
the decision was made to have
a press conference with her family
299
00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:51,695
to keep Geeta's profile
and her murder...
300
00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,135
in the public eye
and ask the public to help us.
301
00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,975
We need a local community
to be on board with us,
302
00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,135
and we need them to understand
that we were taking this serious.
303
00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,455
They was really appalled
by this murder.
304
00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,575
The family, particularly the father,
305
00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,455
were very, very well respected
within the local community.
306
00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:13,815
The press conference
307
00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:17,415
was gonna be really, really hard
for the family to do.
308
00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,215
But they stood tall,
and throughout their grief,
309
00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,255
they still managed to push on
and deal with this press conference.
310
00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:28,095
Geeta had the biggest smile
that mended everyone's hearts,
311
00:17:28,120 --> 00:17:30,415
and she was cruelly taken away,
312
00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:34,295
leaving two gorgeous little boys
who are without their mummy.
313
00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,895
Listening to them asking
for their mummy breaks our hearts...
314
00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,135
...and finding the words to tell them
that their mother is no more.
315
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,855
We want justice for Geeta.
316
00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,335
You know,
the police are doing a great job,
317
00:17:54,360 --> 00:17:57,815
but we need more people
to come forward and help.
318
00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,655
A few days after the emotional
appeal from Geeta's family,
319
00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,975
a 30-year-old man
contacts the police.
320
00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,695
And we get a phone call
saying thatjaswant Singh Dhillon
321
00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,535
has walked into
Southall Police Station,
322
00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,495
and he's told the station officer
there, "I was there last night.
323
00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,215
"I know what happened.
I can help you."
324
00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,455
Could be a very nice,
well-meaning member of the public,
325
00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:18,615
and most people are.
326
00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:20,935
But there's always that thought
in the back of your mind,
327
00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:22,455
"What's in it for them?"
328
00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,655
It's not likely from someone from...
329
00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:29,855
a community that values their
reputation, their honour so much
330
00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:32,335
to walk into a police station.
331
00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:35,855
It's not normal, so that would
have been a red flag in itself.
332
00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,055
jaswant tells police
that on the night of the murder,
333
00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,815
he was helping collect a debt
near the crime scene
334
00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,575
with two other people
he says he doesn't know.
335
00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,535
He was driven to the area
where the attack took place
336
00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:53,295
with two people.
337
00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,175
The person who wasn't the driver
got out the vehicle, walked off,
338
00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,335
and as far as he was concerned,
he'd gone somewhere.
339
00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:02,135
He didn't know where he'd gone.
340
00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:06,335
Ancl within two to three minutes,
he jumped into the vehicle,
341
00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:08,775
and he basically was out of breath,
342
00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:10,935
and he said
something along the lines of,
343
00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:12,295
"I've killed a sister bitch."
344
00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,735
Ancl he then noticed
that he had a large weapon with him.
345
00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,975
He said that he didn't know
who carried out the attack,
346
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,695
who this individual was.
347
00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:22,975
But police have their suspicions.
348
00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,335
Sunny was in a...
349
00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:29,335
difficult period
in a relationship with Geeta.
350
00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:32,095
She had filed divorce proceedings
against him.
351
00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:35,775
Ancl if there was anybody
who had a motive... to kill Geeta,
352
00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:37,975
it was more than likely
going to be Sunny.
353
00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,815
Sunny's view that they were
working through their marriage
354
00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:42,535
and it was an amicable split,
355
00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,655
we knew that was
just him trying to paint a picture
356
00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:47,975
that he wasn't thinking
about something like that.
357
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:49,655
But we know from evidence
358
00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,895
that we got from friends
and from Geeta's sister
359
00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,095
that he had actually threatened her.
360
00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:58,415
Police askjaswant
if he knows Sunny Aulakh.
361
00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,735
He told us they were just business
acquaintances, hardly ever spoke.
362
00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:06,695
Naturally, myself and the rest
of the team were quite suspicious.
363
00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:11,415
He presented himself
as someone who had been duped
364
00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:15,215
to go on an errand
to try and recover a debt.
365
00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,375
Ancl that he was not aware that
somebody was going to be attacked,
366
00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:19,935
even more so a female.
367
00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:21,375
And therefore that was the reason
368
00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,855
why he was coming to the
police station to clear his name.
369
00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:29,655
Jaswant took my officers on a
journey of exactly where they went,
370
00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,815
where the car was
at the time of the murder.
371
00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,295
"And I'm happy to help the police,"
that was his rationale.
372
00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:36,455
He wanted to come across
373
00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:38,935
as a helpful,
genuine member of the public.
374
00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,135
But this isn't something
I'd seen before.
375
00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:50,255
jaswant leads officers 13 miles
west of the crime scene to Slough,
376
00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:52,655
where he says
the attacker dumped evidence.
377
00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:58,735
The journey to get there was a real
labyrinth through a housing estate.
378
00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,455
Somebody needed to have
some local knowledge
379
00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,695
cos you would never normally
find that canal.
380
00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,175
You wouldn't just drive by,
see if there's a canal,
381
00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:07,775
"|'m gonna throw something into it."
382
00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,655
You had to know it was there,
you had to know it was quiet.
383
00:21:12,360 --> 00:21:14,975
He was adamant
that they ended up at a canal
384
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,815
and that the attacker...
385
00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,135
left the vehicle,
took off his jacket...
386
00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:26,015
...threw it into the canal along with
what he thought was a machete.
387
00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:29,655
Proof in the pudding
388
00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,535
was going to be when we did
put divers into the canal,
389
00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:37,815
"Do we end up retrieving the jacket
and the machete?"
390
00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,335
It's quite time critical for us
391
00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:42,175
because if we got to it
quickly enough,
392
00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:45,095
there might be
some forensic evidence,
393
00:21:45,120 --> 00:21:47,295
whether it's blood, hair,
fingerprints.
394
00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,295
Whatever there might be
on that machete,
395
00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,495
we had to get to that
pretty quickly.
396
00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,135
There's a huge number of challenges
that the police are faced with
397
00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,095
when they've got to search a canal,
398
00:21:56,120 --> 00:21:58,535
but if the murder weapon's there,
we will find it.
399
00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:15,935
NARRATOR: Acting on a tip-off from
BO-year-oldjaswant Singh Dhillon,
400
00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,295
police divers look for a machete
401
00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,655
said to have been used to kill
mother-of-two Geeta Aulakh.
402
00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,695
The question that threw up
for myself was,
403
00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,495
"How much could we believe
what he was saying?"
404
00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,775
One of the things
which I certainly had,
405
00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,495
and along with my colleagues, was,
406
00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,175
"Why has he attended
the police station
407
00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,415
"to provide us
with this information?"
408
00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:44,295
It put him in the vicinity
of where the attack took place,
409
00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:49,655
so we knew that there had to be
some credence to what he was saying.
410
00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:52,655
But we weren't sure
of his ulterior motives.
411
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,855
And it's as though
he wants to tell us what's happened
412
00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,015
before somebody else
tells us what's happened.
413
00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,335
It's the ABC of the detective world.
414
00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:02,015
"You accept nothing,
you believe nobody,
415
00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:03,335
"and you challenge everything."
416
00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,335
The offender might say it's
been thrown in here, but actually,
417
00:23:07,360 --> 00:23:09,535
they've got it wrong
or they've misled the police,
418
00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,855
so you have to search
a massive area.
419
00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:14,175
If you imagine how long
420
00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,375
fingertip searches might take
searching a field,
421
00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,935
underwater would take
probably twice as long
422
00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,375
because you've got
the issue of the depth of the water.
423
00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,375
Ancl also the visibility, so they're
effectively searching blind.
424
00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,135
jaswant also takes officers
425
00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:33,215
to another dump site
on the M4 motorway.
426
00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,215
They then
pull into the hard shoulder,
427
00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,055
they attack her again,
got out the vehicle
428
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:44,055
and threw his training shoes
up on the verge of the motorway.
429
00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:45,535
And then
they got back in the vehicle
430
00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,655
and headed back towards London.
431
00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,815
How do you search that area
and recover, potentially,
432
00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:57,295
items there whilst also being safe
433
00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:01,175
and allowing the traffic
to flow freely on the motorway?
434
00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,735
So, challenges would be,
"Are you gonna close the motorway?
435
00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,415
"Are you gonna close
lanes one and two?"
436
00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,375
Ancl also, on a motorway embankment,
437
00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,655
there is
a lot of other discarded items.
438
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,615
People throw so much stuff
out of vehicles,
439
00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,935
so, again, it's what is relevant
and what isn't relevant.
440
00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:25,175
Police close all lanes of the M4,
allowing CSls to comb the area.
441
00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:29,255
jaswant directs them
to a pair of black trainers
442
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,095
he insists were dumped
by the killer.
443
00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,775
We were reasonably confident
at that stage
444
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,335
that he was providing us
with useful information.
445
00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,535
The motive behind it
was still an issue for us,
446
00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:46,495
but we didn't want
to get hoodwinked.
447
00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,735
We didn't want him to be
slowing down the investigation.
448
00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:51,855
Back at the canal,
449
00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,815
police divers are still searching
for the possible murder weapon.
450
00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:02,255
It's hugely frustrating when we are
told a machete is in one place,
451
00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,015
it's in a canal,
and we can't find it.
452
00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:10,055
Divers search the canal
for over two days without success.
453
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,295
But police
are not prepared to give up.
454
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,455
The canal was drained to a certain
degree, allowing a better search.
455
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,455
And eventually,
the murder weapon, a machete,
456
00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,415
was found wrapped in a jacket
457
00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:25,855
and weighted down
in the bottom of the canal.
458
00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:28,535
The exhibits
are sent for forensic testing.
459
00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:31,655
The machete, in terms of size,
460
00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:35,975
was roughly the size of my elbow
to the end of my fingertips.
461
00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,215
Quite large and is not something
462
00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,735
that you would normally expect
someone to have walking around.
463
00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:44,375
If an item has been within
a water environment,
464
00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,375
there's different chemicals that you
can use to enhance any fingerprints.
465
00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,695
You would still search it
for DNA that might be on there,
466
00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,335
but evidence
doesn't normally like water.
467
00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,415
The fact that the machete
was wrapped in a jacket
468
00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:01,255
may well have preserved forensic
evidence on the actual knife.
469
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,455
So, take the handle apart,
the wooden handle,
470
00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:05,655
and look underneath
and swab underneath
471
00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:08,055
for any blood, hairs, fibres,
whatever might be there.
472
00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:11,975
Sadly, in this case,
we didn't harvest any DNA from that.
473
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:13,535
There might be several reasons
474
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:15,975
as to why there was no
forensic evidence on that knife.
475
00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,335
That may either be because the water
had got rid of the evidence,
476
00:26:20,360 --> 00:26:23,575
but also, it might be
that the knife had been cleaned.
477
00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:26,935
It can be quite frustrating
when you've got the murder weapon
478
00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:28,895
that you can't actually,
potentially,
479
00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,055
tie that murder weapon
back to the offender.
480
00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:32,495
But it's still good evidence,
481
00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:34,855
it's still corroborative evidence
that you've found it.
482
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,015
The machete is consistent
with Geeta's injuries.
483
00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:41,015
The machete was sharp to the touch.
484
00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:42,455
Had you run your fingers along it,
485
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:44,695
you would have undoubtedly
cut your fingers.
486
00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:46,495
It had clearly been sharpened.
487
00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:48,695
You could see that
there were almost marks
488
00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:52,495
where an angle grinder had been used
to try and sharpen the blade.
489
00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,535
There was scratch marks
all over the blade of the machete.
490
00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:59,895
It was quite a rough, unprofessional
job that had been clone.
491
00:26:59,920 --> 00:27:03,215
With jaswant insisting
he doesn't know the killer's name,
492
00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:07,415
officers focus on tracking down
where the machete was purchased
493
00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,055
and by who.
494
00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,255
This was brand-new,
it still had a label on it.
495
00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,735
The label said
"Tramontina. Made in Brazil."
496
00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:16,455
Ancl they told us straightaway,
497
00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,775
we have one importer into the UK
based in Cumbria.
498
00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,495
So we spoke to this importer,
we said,
499
00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,935
"How many of these machetes
have you sold in the London area?"
500
00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,295
Ancl they gave us a list
of about 20 shops in London
501
00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,695
that had bought machetes
in the previous six months.
502
00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:37,375
One of these shops stood out
for us straightaway,
503
00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:39,495
it was a shop called Weststar,
it was in Hounslow.
504
00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:44,455
It was about two-and-a-half miles
from where the murder took place.
505
00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,015
I thought perhaps there might be
some CCTV there
506
00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:52,375
that might help lead us to
whoever's carried out this murder.
507
00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:55,895
Officers are sent to speak
to the shop owner,
508
00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,535
while forensic scientists
examine the trainers
509
00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:01,455
and the jacket the machete
was wrapped in.
510
00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:05,295
There may well be wearer's DNA
around the cuffs and the neck area,
511
00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,735
maybe the pockets of the jacket,
512
00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:09,535
which should be able to ascertain
513
00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:11,935
who may have been wearing
that jacket.
514
00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:16,495
This was a very targeted attack
with a huge amount of force,
515
00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,215
so your offender
is going to have blood on them.
516
00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,815
You cannot attack somebody so
viciously with such a large weapon
517
00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,015
and not have blood on your clothing.
518
00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:29,535
The trainers are also found
to have no DNA evidence on them.
519
00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:33,775
Ancl you're hoping to get DNA,
and there's no evidence.
520
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,575
That can be sometimes quite
frustrating and quite disappointing.
521
00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,655
Forensics turn their attention
to the jacket.
522
00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,935
Forensic scientists were able to
locate some head hairs on the jacket
523
00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:46,895
and also some blood staining.
524
00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,495
The hairs were very long
and quite thick and black hairs,
525
00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:54,295
so visually, these hairs
match the hairs from Geeta.
526
00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:58,575
DNA profiling of their
blood staining and their head hairs
527
00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:02,895
come back and confirm
that both of these belong to Geeta.
528
00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,455
So even though the knife's
got evidence on it,
529
00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:07,015
the item that it's wrapped in
530
00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,655
is a really good source
of forensic evidence.
531
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:15,175
With the informantjaswant
Singh Dhillon's story adding up,
532
00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:17,695
forensic scientists
look for wearer DNA on the jacket
533
00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,335
that could reveal
the killer's identity.
534
00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:27,255
You then want to make the links
between the clothing to someone,
535
00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,575
the weapon to the attacker,
and then more importantly,
536
00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,055
is to link who we believe was,
537
00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:35,455
if I use the expression
"el numero uno",
538
00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,735
the number-one suspect being Sunny -
539
00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:39,415
we wanted to link him
into all of that.
540
00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:43,375
The forensic scientists
were able to find wearer DNA on it.
541
00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:46,815
A full DNA profile,
and it matched a male.
542
00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:49,935
This profile would then have been
loaded to the DNA database
543
00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,615
to see if it matched against
any known offenders.
544
00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:55,575
The DNA profile gets a hit.
545
00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:01,055
19-year-old Indian national
Sher Singh.
546
00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:04,575
For me, that was it.
That was a eureka moment.
547
00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:10,215
Sher Singh had come into the UK
a few months earlier
548
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:14,095
on a Tier 4 student visa
to come and do a college course.
549
00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:15,935
Our inquiries very early found out
550
00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,495
that he was sponsored
to come to the UK.
551
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:20,695
We'd also found out
that he had only been in college
552
00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,455
for the first clay to register,
but he'd never gone back again.
553
00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,415
So it was only a matter
of about four months
554
00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:29,415
after Sher Singh landed in the UK
that Geeta was killed.
555
00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,895
We knew that
he did not know the victim,
556
00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,255
so there was no need
for her DNA to be anywhere near him.
557
00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,135
So that, for us, was cast-iron
558
00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:41,895
in terms of linking him
to the victim, to the attack.
559
00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:45,015
A pressing issue for me was,
560
00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:49,095
why would a 19-year-old
carry out such a vicious attack?
561
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,735
That was a priority for us, to try
and find him as soon as possible.
562
00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:54,735
As long as he was at large,
563
00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:57,895
there was always a possibility
for evidence to be lost.
564
00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,015
A manhunt for Sher Singh begins.
565
00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,295
The team still need
to conclusively link the machete
566
00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:09,295
recovered from the canal
to Geeta's murder.
567
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,895
It's quite difficult
for anyone to be 100% certain
568
00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:15,255
that that's the murder weapon,
569
00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,215
particularly if there's no
forensic evidence on the knife.
570
00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:20,175
So pathologists
will be able to say,
571
00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,255
"|t's very similar, but not
necessarily that is the knife
572
00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,455
"that's made those injuries
on the deceased."
573
00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,295
Unless there's any particular
nuances around the knife,
574
00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:30,935
any specific areas have damaged
that has been replicated
575
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:32,855
in the injuries on the victim.
576
00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,615
Whoever sharpened the knife
clearly wanted to use it
577
00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:38,775
to injure somebody quite severely,
578
00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,375
so that adds to the police case
579
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,015
around the intent
to murder somebody.
580
00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,175
In our culture,
this is more of a physical,
581
00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:52,295
common sort of weapon
to use than a gun, for example.
582
00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,495
And a gun, I suppose,
leaves a trace.
583
00:31:55,760 --> 00:32:00,455
I think it's more cleaner,
in a sense, and more personal,
584
00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:04,895
knowing that the machete was
sharpened for that task to kill.
585
00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:06,135
It wasn't a warning.
586
00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:10,455
Geeta was at the point
of separation,
587
00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:12,855
she filed the divorce papers.
588
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:16,375
She was at the highest risk possible
for a homicide to occur.
589
00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,015
Police still haven't identified
a clear motive
590
00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,855
for Sher Singh to attack Geeta.
591
00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:24,895
Sher Singh had no relationship
with Gee-ta,
592
00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:27,855
so there was no reason
for him to attack her.
593
00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:32,335
They follow up on who may have
purchased the murder weapon.
594
00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,175
Officers report back that the shop
has only sold three machetes,
595
00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,415
like the one used to kill Geeta.
596
00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,095
Weststar provide us
with CCTV evidence
597
00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:47,015
of the purchase
of all three machetes
598
00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,375
in the weeks leading up
to Geeta's murder.
599
00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,215
Two of the people we identify
very quickly and we traced.
600
00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,295
Ancl they provide us statements,
601
00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:57,255
and they showed us
the machetes they'd bought
602
00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,615
and gave us a reasonable reason
for having these machetes.
603
00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:04,095
The third person,
we couldn't quite find.
604
00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,335
When we looked at the CCTV,
605
00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:10,455
one of the most pivotal moments,
606
00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:12,815
not only in the investigation,
but in my career...
607
00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:16,335
...that's Sunny, that's the husband.
608
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,615
You can see Sunny
holding the machete,
609
00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:22,495
sort of moving it around.
610
00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:23,735
Ancl this all looked a bit odd.
611
00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:26,975
It was only when we spoke to the man
who sold the machete,
612
00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:31,375
he told us that Sunny was asking
about how to sharpen the machete.
613
00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:33,975
The machete we'd recovered
had clearly been sharpened.
614
00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:38,055
You've got the husband on CCTV
615
00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:42,455
buying a machete nine clays
before the murder's carried out.
616
00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:44,095
Gotcha.
617
00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:46,095
Talk your way out of that.
618
00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:52,175
So, for us...
619
00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:53,535
it's manna from heaven.
620
00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,615
We're now thinking
we can now link him
621
00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:00,175
not to the attack
on the day in question,
622
00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,095
but we can link him
to the weapon that were used
623
00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:04,335
to carry out the attack.
624
00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:07,015
For Sunny to go into a shop
625
00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:10,495
to buy the murder weapon,
626
00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,735
to even ask the shop owner,
"How do you sharpen this?"
627
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,015
goes to show his arrogance, his...
628
00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:20,455
the way he was confident,
the premeditation, the planning.
629
00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:22,775
The fact that...
the entitlement that,
630
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:24,655
"I could do this
to another human being."
631
00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:28,575
My view at that point
of the investigation
632
00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:32,295
was the motive for Sher Singh
carrying out the attack
633
00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:35,015
was solely because he had been asked
by Sunny to do so.
634
00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:38,615
The term that's used on a killing,
635
00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:41,535
that is something that we had
in the forefront of our mind.
636
00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:43,695
We knew that it's something
that had happened
637
00:34:43,720 --> 00:34:45,455
many a time in this country.
638
00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:52,295
Honour-based abuse
happens in multiple communities,
639
00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:56,175
from Traveller communities
to African communities,
640
00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,735
but statistically happens
mostly in South Asian communities
641
00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:02,655
and Middle Eastern communities.
642
00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:07,495
But there is no religion on this
Earth that allows that to happen.
643
00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:13,815
One of the main reason behind it
will be to uphold or maintain
644
00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:18,295
control and honour around
the family's name in the community.
645
00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:22,255
Whoever used the machete
646
00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:26,495
went out to make a point
that Geeta was dish on our able.
647
00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:31,215
It points to the fact that it
could be a so-called honour killing.
648
00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:45,735
NARRATOR: Geeta Aulakh's husband
has been caught on camera
649
00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:49,215
buying a machete,
linking him to her murder,
650
00:35:49,240 --> 00:35:51,175
and he didn't act alone.
651
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:58,175
DNA has put 19-year-old Sher Singh
at the crime scene.
652
00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:02,575
Police suspect they are dealing with
a so-called honour killing.
653
00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:04,815
In honour-based crimes,
654
00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:07,135
the honour is a collective honour.
655
00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:11,175
It's not an individual's reputation,
an individual's shame,
656
00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:12,975
an individual's pride,
657
00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,575
it's a collective honour
that you're trying to maintain,
658
00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:17,575
and this is why,
in honour-based abuse cases,
659
00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,175
you will find multiple perpetrators.
660
00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:27,455
Police need to work out how Sunny
Aulakh and Sher Singh are connected.
661
00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,095
Our family liaison officer
did a great job.
662
00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:34,935
She recovered a load of photographs
from Geeta's family,
663
00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:36,895
and when we looked
at those photographs
664
00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:39,775
there was clearly there,
there was Sunny, the husband,
665
00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:43,735
and Sher Singh in the same
photograph dancing at a wedding.
666
00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:48,255
In Sunny's alpha male world, Geeta
disrespected him by leaving him,
667
00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:53,655
so Sunny at that point, I say,
brought Sher Singh across to the UK,
668
00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:57,855
a friend from his community,
to carry out the murder of Geeta.
669
00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:03,455
The significant hold that
I believe Sunny had over Sher Singh
670
00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,095
was loyalty.
671
00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:08,415
They had grown up together
in the Punjab,
672
00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:10,615
they had obviously formed
a good bond between them,
673
00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:14,615
and in many ways, I felt
that Sunny abused that friendship.
674
00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:18,855
My officers' view of Sher Singh
was an impressionable individual
675
00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:23,055
and was just somebody who Sunny
could use to do errands for him,
676
00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:26,775
and this errand was to kill Geeta.
677
00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,895
In our culture,
you respect your elders.
678
00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:33,535
For someone as young as him,
knowing honour was in the mix,
679
00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:36,935
he would have thought,
"This is my duty, I must do this."
680
00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,655
So it would have been very easy
to groom an 18-year-old from Punjab
681
00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:43,255
to commit such a horrific crime.
682
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,535
Using cell site evidence,
683
00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,615
police work out who was involved
in the hit on Geeta.
684
00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:55,535
It showed that there was a distinct
and ongoing relationship
685
00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:59,815
between Sher Singh, Sunny Aulakh
andjaswant Singh Dhillon.
686
00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,375
They'd been speaking
to each other for weeks.
687
00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:07,415
It also showed that
there'd been a dry run, if you like,
688
00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:10,815
the week before Geeta was killed,
689
00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:13,415
where we think, in hindsight,
they just missed her.
690
00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:16,775
The week later, she was killed.
691
00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,775
What the phone forensics
also corroborated for us,
692
00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:23,535
that when Sunny is in the pub,
693
00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:27,215
on CCTV, he's on the phone,
and we can link that phone
694
00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:29,935
showing that he's phoning
Jaswant Singh Dhillon
695
00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:33,095
to make sure the murder
is happening.
696
00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:37,335
We subsequently took the view
that he was the enforcer,
697
00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:39,895
that he had much more
of an involvement
698
00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:41,895
than he was leading us to believe.
699
00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:46,175
Phone data reveals a fourth man
as the getaway driver.
700
00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:50,415
We were able to establish
the driver as Harpreet Singh.
701
00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:54,935
That individual's phone details
was injaswanfs phone,
702
00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:59,415
so subsequently we did
further analysis of that data,
703
00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:02,615
and we were able to establish
exactly where that individual lived.
704
00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,055
Harpreet Singh lives in Slough,
705
00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:07,215
close to where
the machete was recovered.
706
00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:11,335
When an offender's
going to dump evidence,
707
00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,855
it's normally in an area
that they've either frequented
708
00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:16,575
or that they live near.
709
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:19,615
Because humans
are creatures of habit,
710
00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:22,935
so they will know an area
where they can throw items away
711
00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:24,255
and not be found.
712
00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:29,695
The four men are arrested
and charged with Geeta's murder.
713
00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:33,615
When we interviewed Sunny
for the second time,
714
00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:35,895
he was putting on a show.
He was laughing, he was joking.
715
00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,095
He was being charged
with his wife's murder,
716
00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:40,375
and if he's convicted,
he's gonna go to prison for life.
717
00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:43,415
We had CCTV in the custody suite,
and he was laughing and grinning.
718
00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:44,535
He couldn't care less.
719
00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:46,935
He didn't believe he'd done
anything wrong. He didn't care.
720
00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:52,335
You have DNA evidence linking
one of the offenders to the jacket,
721
00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,855
and Geeta's hair and blood
are also on the jacket,
722
00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:57,495
so there's quite a lot
of forensic evidence
723
00:39:57,520 --> 00:39:59,655
that can be used in court
against these offenders.
724
00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:04,495
Despite the evidence
linking the men to the crime scene,
725
00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:09,935
they all plead not guilty
and the case goes to trial.
726
00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:13,935
In court,
Sunny didn't show any remorse.
727
00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:17,255
There were occasions when he was
blowing kisses up to the gallery,
728
00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:21,295
he was just showing
a complete disregard for human life
729
00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:24,695
and for the suffering
that the family were going through.
730
00:40:24,720 --> 00:40:26,615
He must've felt
he was indestructible.
731
00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:29,375
He must have felt that
he could have got away with this.
732
00:40:31,120 --> 00:40:35,415
After hearing the forensic evidence,
the jury makes their decision.
733
00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:38,855
Harpreet Sunny Aulakh, Sher Singh,
734
00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:42,295
jaswant Singh Dhillon
and Harpreet Singh
735
00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:45,175
are found guilty of murder.
736
00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:50,015
Aulakh is sentenced
to a minimum term of 28 years.
737
00:40:50,040 --> 00:40:52,135
The others, 22.
738
00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:59,095
A lot depended on the forensic work
that we did, and it was crucial.
739
00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:01,935
Without the forensic retrievals
of those items,
740
00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:04,055
they would not have been convicted.
741
00:41:05,240 --> 00:41:07,415
You know, he couldn't bear the idea
742
00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:09,455
that she was
going to get on with her life
743
00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:13,815
with her children, and probably
find happiness with someone else,
744
00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:16,975
and he felt that he had to
make sure that that didn't happen.
745
00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:21,535
It was Sunny's reputation, his
identity, everything on the line,
746
00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:25,175
and his level of entitlement
that he could do that,
747
00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:30,295
and the recruiting other members,
the collective,
748
00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:33,735
the team he had to commit the crime,
749
00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:35,935
he didn't do it alone,
750
00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:40,015
shows the hallmarks
of a so-called honour killing.
751
00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:43,215
He was preplanning it,
he wanted to do it,
752
00:41:43,240 --> 00:41:45,295
it doesn't matter how long it took,
753
00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:47,535
he would have clone it
one way or the other.
754
00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:54,855
I feel that the sentence of a
minimum of 28 years was appropriate.
755
00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:58,455
However, other events
that have unfolded subsequently
756
00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:01,015
has changed my view.
757
00:42:03,560 --> 00:42:08,495
Eight years after their convictions,
Sunny Aulakh, Sher Singh
758
00:42:08,520 --> 00:42:12,415
andjaswant Singh Dhillon make
an application to the Home Office
759
00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:16,575
to spend the remainder of their
sentences in their home country.
760
00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:22,415
In August 2018,
the three men are deported to India.
761
00:42:23,720 --> 00:42:27,735
My first thought was, one,
how can this be true, and secondly,
762
00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:30,375
why would he do that,
what's in it for him?
763
00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:35,735
A few months later,
Geeta's family called DI Finch.
764
00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:39,975
He's out and about.
765
00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:44,055
There's Facebook pages
showing Harpreet, Sher Singh,
766
00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:48,055
jaswant Singh Dhillon
all out and about in India,
767
00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:50,375
access to mobile phones,
socialising.
768
00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:53,135
I was flabbergasted.
it just made no sense.
769
00:42:53,160 --> 00:42:56,295
They were supposed to be
serving time in prison for murder,
770
00:42:56,320 --> 00:42:59,935
and here there were
doing what they wanted.
771
00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:08,095
It doesn't surprise me that
they're welcomed back in Punjab
772
00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:10,015
even though they're murderers,
773
00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:15,255
because the level of victim blaming
in these communities
774
00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:21,215
and the fact that you have ownership
amongst the women in your life,
775
00:43:21,240 --> 00:43:24,455
he's probably justified it
and the community has accepted it.
776
00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:27,215
Ancl this is why we still have
honour killings
777
00:43:27,240 --> 00:43:29,735
and honour-based abuse today.
778
00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:34,615
I do believe culture,
societal norms, gender inequality,
779
00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:39,335
all did play a part
in giving him the confidence to...
780
00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:41,735
to do such a horrific crime.
781
00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:47,335
The death of Geeta has obviously
broken that family in many regards.
782
00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:48,935
It'll never be the same.
783
00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:50,535
I can't for the life of me
784
00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:52,575
even think of
what they may be going through,
785
00:43:52,600 --> 00:43:55,735
but they are going through
an awful lot of hardship.
786
00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,895
I'm aware that they are
obviously taking steps
787
00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:00,975
to see if that can be changed,
788
00:44:01,000 --> 00:44:04,935
and I will support them in any way
in the future.
789
00:44:06,680 --> 00:44:09,975
This was my first
murder investigation.
790
00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:12,575
It was a very complex investigation.
791
00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:15,215
I have the utmost respect
for the family,
792
00:44:15,240 --> 00:44:19,455
the dignity in which they've
conducted themselves throughout.
793
00:44:19,480 --> 00:44:22,175
It's a very, very sad matter,
and there's no winners.