Pune: The Pune Swargate depot station rape case has taken a new turn with shocking revelations from the defense side. The lawyer representing the accused, Dattatray Gade, has claimed that the act was consensual and not rape. This statement has triggered outrage and controversy across Maharashtra.
As the case gains statewide attention, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Rupali Thombre has made a strong claim, alleging that Pune city is being defamed unnecessarily due to this case. She stated that while the MSRTC bus incident has caused a stir, the narrative around it is misleading.
In a Facebook post, Thombre alleged that the act was consensual but led to a dispute due to an unpaid financial transaction. "The act in question was consensual.
However, when the agreed-upon payment was not made, a dispute arose, which eventually led to the case. Unfortunately, this has resulted in Pune city facing unwarranted defamation, and I deeply regret it," said Thombre in her post.
She also revealed that when the accused was presented in court, DCP Gill had a conversation with her, stating, "Madam, if you plan to protest or blacken the accused’s face, please do not do so." To this, Thombre responded by assuring the officer, "I will not engage in any protest without first gathering complete information. I will express my stance only after understanding the full details of the case."