Pune rape: Survivor’s advocate files court plea seeking restraining order on public, social media

Lawyer Advocate Asim Sarode representing the woman who was allegedly raped in a parked bus at Swargate depot in Pune city filed an application before a court on Monday, seeking a restraining order against public and social media statements that could lead to her character assassination.

The case has been transferred to the city crime branch from the Swargate police, while the victim’s statement has been recorded in the court. An order regarding the same was issued by Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Monday.

“The false and irrelevant statements are causing serious emotional distress to the victim. Hence it is important in the interest of the victim that such an order may be passed,” he said. The court has kept the matter for hearing on Tuesday.

“Some politicians and officers are spreading false news. Character assassination is being done of the victim who has set law into motion to seek justice,” he added.

A 26-year-old woman, who works in the health sector, was allegedly raped by a history-sheeter, Dattatray Gade (37), inside a stationary state transport bus at Swargate terminus in the early hours of Tuesday (February 25).

Gade, who faces half a dozen criminal cases, was tracked down in an agriculture field near his native Gunat village under Shirur tehsil of Pune district with the help of drones and sniffer dogs at around midnight on Thursday, and later placed under arrest. He is in police custody till March 12.

Police also said that they have collected the DNA samples of the accused and have been sent to the forensic as a part of the probe.

According to the police, the victim was waiting for a bus at the Swargate bus stand to go to her native place in Satara district in the early morning of February 25 when the accused approached her impersonating the bus conductor and offered to take her to the bus.

As per the complaint, the victim went with him and boarded a bus, only to find that it was empty with no lights. The accused followed her in the bus and closed both the doors and allegedly raped her.

The victim, in her complaint, stated that she tried to shout but since the doors and windows were closed, the shouting could not be heard outside.

Gade later escaped from the bus later. The woman who alighted from the bus, later called her friend and subsequently police were informed.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vasant More said the victim had approached him through a close friend and even spoke to him over the phone.

“The victim has been traumatised over social media discourse where allegations of money were levelled against her. Also, the entire seriousness of a crime like rape was discussed as a physical relationship through ‘consent.’ All these discourses had an impact on her mentally and she told me that she is feeling like ending her life,” More said.

The victim told me that the accused threatened to kill her while he attempted the crime, he said.

Meanwhile, lawyer Wajed Khan Bidkar, defending accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade, has filed an application before the police that they were receiving threatening calls for taking up the case on behalf of Gade.

(With Agency Inputs)