Pune: Minister of State for Home Affairs, Yogesh Kadam, made a statement regarding the sexual assault incident at Swargate Bus Station, stating that there was "no force, struggle, or shouting during the act, and everything happened quietly."
The minister emphasized that around 10 to 15 people were present near the bus at the time, yet no one suspected anything. He suggested that this lack of suspicion may have given the accused the confidence to commit the crime.
Minister Kadam visited Swargate Bus Station to review the security situation. Addressing the media afterward, he revealed that CCTV footage showed a police team patrolling the area between 1:30 AM and 3:00 AM on the night of the incident.
Defending law enforcement, he stated that over 7,000 security operations had been conducted at the bus station in the past year, dismissing allegations of police negligence. He assured that the accused would be arrested soon, reiterating that the responsibility for security inside the bus station falls on the depot manager.
The minister highlighted that the ST depot manager had informed the police about security concerns in a written letter on February 22. However, security inside the bus station was the responsibility of a private security team hired by the ST Corporation.
Despite a designated security post near the bus, no private security guards were present at the time of the incident. Minister Kadam placed the blame on the depot manager, stating that the accountability could not be avoided.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 6:00 AM, but the victim filed a complaint at 9:00 AM. Upon receiving the complaint, police reviewed CCTV footage and identified the accused within 30 minutes.
