Pune: A senior railway official has been charged with rape and assault after allegedly luring a woman with the false promise of marriage. The accused, Vikas Komalkumar Panthi, aged 37, worked as a senior assistant loco pilot at Daund railway station.

He is accused of exploiting his relationship with a woman, employed on a contractual basis, by promising marriage, engaging in sexual relations with her, and later threatening and assaulting her.

The case came to light after the woman filed a complaint with the Daund police. According to the complaint, Vikas took the woman to different locations, including OYO Lodge in Chauphula and Manisha Lodge on Daund-Patas Road, where he repeatedly coerced her into a physical relationship. Shockingly, he recorded these encounters on video.

The situation escalated when the woman discovered that Vikas was already married. When confronted, he resorted to threats and later confined her in his residence, physically assaulting her.

Vikas promised his wife a divorce and continued to engage with the woman. In a bizarre twist, he even summoned the woman to his home in the presence of his wife, where he deleted compromising photos and chat messages from her phone.

Vikas then assured the victim that he would marry her after his transfer from Daund to Solapur.

He arranged for her to stay in a girls' hostel in Pune but eventually cut off all contact. Realizing she had been deceived, the woman filed a formal complaint.

Based on the woman’s allegations, the Daund police filed charges against Vikas Panthi under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These include Section 64 (Rape), Section 69 (False promises of marriage leading to sexual relations), Section 127(2) (Wrongful confinement), and Section 115(2) (Intentional harm). The case has been transferred to Yavat police station for further investigation.