Bopdev Ghat gangrape: Arrested accused gave false name of third accomplice, say police

On Tuesday, Inspector Yuvraj Hande of crime branch, sought further police custody of the duo. While listing grounds for extended police custody, Inspector Hande told the court, “Our probe has revealed that the arrested accused had earlier given a false name of their third accomplice. We have now established the actual name. The custody of the duo is needed for the ongoing search of the third accused. Probe has also revealed that the accused Akhta Shaikh had earlier given a false name of his father while providing information about himself. We want to confirm his identity in detail for which our team will travel to Latur and Nagpur with the accused.”

Inspector Hande further told the court that the arrested accused seem to have information on the whereabouts of the wanted accused. “We also want to take the arrested accused to the scene of the crime and also on the approach and escape route to gather further leads… Further, it is highly likely that the accused have committed serious crimes in Pune Rural jurisdictions in the past. We want to question them for the probe into this aspect,” Hande said to the court. After arguments from prosecution and defence, the court remanded the duo to police custody till November 8.

The 21-year-old victim woman and her male friend, both college students, not from Pune, had gone to Bopdev Ghat area on a motorcycle on the night of October 3, where the couple was robbed and the woman was gangraped.

Police have said that CCTV footage captured at a petrol pump and a hotel provided clear images of the accused persons. The probe revealed that all three of the accused in the rape case had been arrested in theft cases that took place outside Pune in the past. It had also come to light that Shaikh has been arrested in another case of rape and molestation of a minor girl in Pune in the past.