Pune rape case: False complaint by the techie woman, entire case unravels under scrutiny

The rape claim made by a 22-year-old data scientist in Pune was apparently a false complaint, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar stated on Sunday, 6th July. The woman alleged a man posing as a delivery agent sprayed her with a chemical, knocked her unconscious, raped her, took a selfie, and left a threatening message. According to Kumar, investigators found her story full of inconsistencies and ruled it fabricated, saying it misled the police.

Investigation unravels the story in just 24 hours

The woman had claimed that an unidentified man who posed as a courier delivery agent 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 stated in her complaint.

The investigation, however, revealed that neither was there any sign of forced entry nor any spray that could be used on the victim, the police commissioner had said.

According to the complainant, the man identified himself as a delivery executive who came on the pretext of delivering a courier bank document. But the probe finding says, The 25-year-old accused was not a delivery agent. He works with a multinational accounting firm in Pune and is someone the complainant knew for over a year after connecting with him socially. The man had come to the complainant’s house in the past.

Commissioner Kumar highlighted how quickly the Pune Police dug into the case. “We used all our resources,” he said, stressing that the city’s image as a safe place for women shouldn’t be tarnished by false narratives. 

The police measured evidence from CCTV footage, apartment access logs, forensic tests, and tried to trace any delivery agent who might have entered the building.

In less than a day, they found no sign of any intruder or unusual chemicals. CCTV and door logs showed no unrecognised person entering the apartment complex. Forensics found no trace of a chemical being sprayed.

The selfie and message were fake

Police discovered that the man in the selfie was known to the complainant. Commissioner Kumar explained, “She’s known him for years, and they’re from the same community.” Investigators concluded the selfie was taken on the woman’s phone, in which her back and part of his face are seen. The threatening message, “I’ll come back”, on her phone was also typed by her.

A highly qualified college professor, her friend was detained and questioned. Deputy Commissioner Rajkumar Shinde mentioned that a private college professor advised her on how to file the complaint and guide her through the process.

The girl changed her statements

The case initially included charges of rape, voyeurism, and criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Forensic teams took samples from the scene, seized her phone for analysis, and examined her medical report from Sassoon General Hospital, which gave inconclusive results.

Commissioner Kumar noted that the woman’s mental state was not good. He said, “The rape part is still under investigation.” She has since been referred for counselling and has provided her formal statement to a Judicial Magistrate First Class. 

Police also noted that she kept changing the sequence of events, which raised suspicion.

Nation outcry over techie’s claim

The case triggered widespread headlines across the country. News that a young IT professional and techie from Pune had been raped sparked strong outrage online and offline.

Once the police revealed the claim was fabricated, Commissioner Kumar warned that such false narratives risk damaging public trust and overshadowing genuine victim cases. 

He cited broader concerns, saying government directives recently warned against communities being unfairly targeted with false allegations.

Commissioner Kumar urged people not to misuse emotional narratives in attempts to defame the city, emphasising that Pune’s reputation as a safe place for women must be preserved.

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