New Delhi, June 26 -- The 29-year-old cab driver accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl in south Delhi spent nearly 45 minutes scouting the area before abducting the child, investigators aware of the case details said on Thursday.

Police officials involved in the probe said the accused told investigators that he first drove past the footpath where the girl was asleep with her family nearly an hour before the abduction and spotted the 10-year-old, but since she was sleeping close to her mother, he decided to wait for a better opportunity. He later returned and allegedly forced the child into his car.

"We have now established that he reached the spot almost an hour before the incident," said an investigating office...