Pune techie rape: Victim knew detained suspect, police says, casting doubt on original case

In the latest update on the alleged rape of a Pune IT professional at her home, the police on Friday clarified that one suspect (currently detained in connection with the case) was her friend, and not a stranger who gained entry by posing as a courier delivery agent, casting doubt on the victim's version of the events.

It was the woman herself who took a selfie with him and typed a threatening message in her phone, police commissioner Amitesh Kumar explained.

ALSO READ | Pune horror: Man posing as delivery agent rapes woman, clicks selfies on her phone as she passes out

"They know each other for a couple of years and belong to the same community," he pointed out, as per a PTI report.

The 22-year-old woman had claimed that a man who posed as a courier delivery agent had entered her flat in the Kondhwa area on Wednesday evening when she was alone, and forced himself on her. She passed out, and when she regained consciousness, he was gone, she had said.

Before leaving, the accused clicked a selfie using her phone, in which her back and a part of his face was seen. He had also left a message warning that he had taken her pictures, and would release them on social media if she reported the incident, the 22-year-old had told the police.

The original case—registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 64 (rape), 77 (voyeurism), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation), had triggered a swift police response—with forensic experts brought in to examine the 22-year-old and collect samples, as per a Times of India report.

However, CCTV footage from the housing society showed no trace of the alleged courier agent, and no visitor entries had been logged in the app-based system used by the society.

Indeed, after detaining the suspect—said to be a highly qualified professional—the police found that the woman herself had taken the selfie, which originally showed his face clearly. She then edited it, and also typed the purported threatening message.

Kumar also noted that no chemical spray had been used to render her unconscious, as suspected earlier.

"We are still ascertaining why the victim made allegations of rape, and it (the rape part) is still under investigation as the girl's mental state is not good at present," the commissioner said.

India