Bhutanese Woman Gangraped In Pune: Ex-NCP Office Bearer Among Arrested Accused; 'Was Taken To Parties And...'

Pune: A shocking incident has emerged from Pune, where a 27-year-old foreign woman from Bhutan has alleged gang rape by seven individuals. The victim lodged a formal complaint at the Samarth Police Station, following which the police arrested seven accused.

According to reports, the woman has been residing in Pune since 2020. Among those arrested is Shantanu Kukde, a former office-bearer of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), along with several of his friends. Kukde had already been booked in a separate case involving the sexual assault of two other women a few days ago, reported Zee 24 Taas.

Details On The Ordeal

In this case, the victim, a Bhutanese national, had first arrived in India in 2020, settling in Bodh Gaya. Later, for educational and employment purposes, she moved to Pune, where she met one of the accused, Rishikesh Navale. He introduced her to Shantanu Kukde, who offered her accommodation and financial help for her education.

However, Kukde allegedly used this opportunity to sexually exploit her. Over time, he introduced the woman to more of his acquaintances, under the guise of friendship. They often visited her house under the pretext of attending parties. According to the police, the accused took advantage of the woman’s trust and familiarity to repeatedly assault her.

Victim Was Sexually Assaulted At Various Locations

The victim stated that she was sexually abused at various locations, including Lonavala, Raigad and Panshet, during parties arranged by the accused. Among the arrested are individuals from different professional backgrounds, one is a DJ and another a practicing lawyer.

According to the report, Shantanu Kukde, Rishikesh Navale, Jalindar Badde, Umesh Shahane, Pratik Shinde, Advocate Vipin Bidkar and Sagar Rasge are the accused arrested by the police. Additional names mentioned in the complaint include Avinash Suryawanshi and Mudasir Menon.

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