Feb 28, 2025 08:51 PM IST
The accused, Dattatray Ramdas Gade, was arrested on Friday after a massive manhunt which involved the police using drones and sniffer dogs.
The lawyer representing Dattatray Ramdas Gade, the accused in the Swargate bus station rape case, claimed on Friday that “nothing was done forcefully”. He said the alleged incident took place in the morning and the survivor could have “shouted and sought help”.
“…It was 5.45am in the morning (the time of the alleged incident). She could have shouted and sought help. Nothing was done forcefully,” advocate Wajid Khan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Gade, a history-sheeter, fled to his native place in Shirur after allegedly raping the 26-year-old woman inside a state transport bus at Swargate bus station on Tuesday.
The Pune police arrested the 37-year-old on Friday after a massive manhunt which involved the police using drones and sniffer dogs.
Gade managed to stay out of sight until he approached a family member for food and water, which led to his arrest. Later in the day, he was sent to 12-day police custody by a local court.
Pune rape case
The 26-year-old woman was raped inside a stationary Shivshahi bus belonging to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).
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The woman told the police that she was waiting for a bus when the accused approached and engaged her in conversation, calling her ‘didi’ (sister). He told her the bus for Satara had arrived at another platform.
He took her to an empty ‘Shiv Shahi’ AC bus parked elsewhere on the sprawling station premises. As the lights inside the bus were not on, she hesitated to get in at first, but the man convinced her that it was the right vehicle. He then followed her inside and raped her before fleeing.
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