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Man held in rape, murder of 3-yr-old girl freed in 2015 case: ‘No efforts to prove victim was minor’

In the latest case, involving the three-year-old, a Pune court remanded the accused to police custody till May 7. While seeking custody, police said they wanted to probe further whether he had committed more such offences in the past.

5 min readPuneUpdated: May 4, 2026 09:47 AM IST

Man held for rape-murder of 3-yr-old in Pune got ‘benefit of doubt’ in 2015

People stage a protest on the Mumbai-Bangalore Bypass, in Pune, over the rape and murder of the 3-year-old girl. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

The 65-year-old man accused in the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl at a village in Pune district, triggering strong protests, has a prior record of molestation — police are tracing details of the first case from 1998 while records reviewed by The Indian Express show that a judge pointed to tardy investigation in the second case from 2015 before acquitting the man.

In the latest case, involving the three-year-old, a Pune court remanded the accused to police custody till May 7. While seeking custody, police said they wanted to probe further whether he had committed more such offences in the past.

Speaking to reporters about the acquittal in the 2015 case, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “The previous offences against the accused would be checked. It will be seen whether there were any lapses…”

Court records in the 2015 case show that the accused was charged with allegedly molesting a 17-year-old relative under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 354 and 506, and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. According to the order of a special court dated May 3, 2019, the judge expressed surprise over police not taking “any efforts” to collect documents required to conclusively prove that the victim was a minor at the time of the offence. The court also observed “inconsistencies” in the victim’s version about the “point of incident”.

Court records show that on July 24, 2015, the accused, who resided nearby, allegedly called the victim to his house on the pretext of helping him switch on the TV. Once she arrived, he allegedly closed the door, caught her by the stomach and threatened her with a sickle, records show.

The accused allegedly then forced the victim to lie on the floor and sexually assaulted her, the records show. She pushed him away and escaped, which was purportedly witnessed by her aunt, who was standing outside, according to records. The victim ran towards her family members, who were working in a field, and narrated the incident to them, the records show.

An FIR was lodged against the accused at the same police station where he has now been booked again, under BNS and POCSO, for the rape and murder of the three-year-old on May 1. In the 2015 case, the accused was granted bail in October that year. The prosecution examined five witnesses during the trial, including the victim, her mother, her aunt, a local panchayat member and the investigating officer. The court, however, observed “inconsistencies” in the nature and sequence of the molestation incident as described in the FIR and the victim’s deposition. The court also found inconsistencies in the depositions of the victim’s mother and aunt “about happening and sequence of the incident”.

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The prosecution, the court stated, “tried to prove the case through the chain of circumstance i.e. seizure of Sickle from the spot”. But the court observed that a sickle is commonly used by agriculturists and freely available in the market, and its recovery was therefore “not an incriminating material”.

On the investigation, the court stated: “Surprisingly, police have not taken any efforts to collect the valid and authenticate age proof of the victim.” The victim had submitted a copy of her school leaving certificate stating her age as “17 years and some 11 months” at the time of the incident.

In such cases, the court noted, it is necessary to prove clearly and beyond reasonable doubt that the victim was a minor. Since no valid document was available to establish this, the offence under the POCSO Act “could not be attracted” against the accused, it said. The court also observed that no independent witnesses were examined, and that the victim’s aunt was an “interested witness”. Even as the accused pleaded not guilty, the defence submitted that the accused and the victim’s family had a land dispute, on account of which he had been falsely implicated. The defence also argued that the accused was a relative of the victim, with six daughters and a son, making it highly improbable that he would act in such a manner.

“Considering the consistent suggestions by the defence, the possibility of land disputes between family of victim and accused cannot be ruled out and thereby, possibility of false implication is also not completely ruled out,” the court said.

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The court also pointed out that the prosecution could not prove the alleged incident and offences beyond reasonable doubt.

“Therefore, the benefit of doubt goes in favour of the accused,” it stated.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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