Pune: In a dramatic turn of events, Dattatray Ramdas Gade, the 37-year-old accused of a shocking rape incident inside a parked bus at Pune’s Swargate depot, was apprehended in a paddy field in Shirur tehsil late Thursday night. This arrest followed an extensive operation involving drones and sniffer dogs. Gade’s capture brings some relief to the community, but the case has also sparked controversy over his alleged connections with local politicians and a history of criminal offenses.
On Friday, a court in Pune remanded Gade to police custody until March 12. The police had sought a 14-day custody to further investigate the case. According to the police, Gade engaged the victim in conversation at the Swargate terminus, addressing her as “didi” (sister), before leading her to the empty bus where the assault occurred. CCTV footage clearly shows Gade at the scene, and he has been linked to several previous criminal cases, with women being complainants in five of them.
Gade’s defense team, however, claimed that the victim entered the bus voluntarily and that a consensual relationship was established. Despite these claims, the court granted the police custody, allowing them to delve deeper into the case. The incident has also raised questions about security at public transport hubs and the accused’s potential political connections, which have been vehemently denied by the involved politicians.
