Pune Crime: Bhutanese Woman Raped by Seven Men; Six Including Lawyer Arrested

The case comes close on the heels of another recent sexual assault incident at Swargate SD Depot, adding to growing concerns over women’s safety in the city.

Accused Identified

The arrested individuals have been identified as:

• Rishikesh Navale (48)

• Prateek Shinde (36)

• Vipin Bidkar (48)

• Sagar Rasage (35)

• Avinash Suryavanshi (58)

• Muddasir Memon (38)

Initial investigations revealed that the main accused is former NCP worker Shantanu Kukde, who had already been arrested in a separate sexual assault case. During interrogation, Kukde reportedly named his accomplices, leading to the arrest of the six individuals mentioned above.

Details of the Crime

According to the prosecution, the victim is a citizen of Bhutan who had come to Pune in search of employment. Public Prosecutor Neelima Ithape-Yadav told the court:

“The victim was new to the city and vulnerable. The accused took advantage of her helplessness and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her. She later filed a formal complaint, naming all the accused.”

The prosecution added that all the accused knew each other and were likely acting in coordination. Police are now investigating whether anyone instigated the crime or whether additional accomplices may have been involved.

Court Grants Police Custody

After hearing the arguments, the court granted five days’ police custody for all six accused. The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests cannot be ruled out.

Rising Concern Over Safety

This incident has once again raised serious concerns over the safety of women, especially foreign nationals residing in or visiting Pune. Human rights organizations have called for swift justice and tighter law enforcement to prevent such crimes.