A lawyer representing the woman who was allegedly raped in a parked bus at Swargate depot in Pune city filed an application before a court on Monday, seeking a restraining order against public and social media statements that could lead to her character assassination.
In a related development, investigation into the shocking incident, which caused an uproar, has been transferred to the city crime branch from the Swargate police, while the victim's statement has been recorded in the court, said a senior officer.
A 26-year-old woman, who works in the health sector, was allegedly raped by a history-sheeter, Dattatray Gade (37), inside a stationary state transport bus at Swargate terminus in the early hours of Tuesday (February 25), according to the police.
Gade, who faces half a dozen criminal cases, was tracked down in an agriculture field near his native Gunat village under Shirur tehsil of Pune district with the help of drones and sniffer dogs at around midnight on Thursday, and later placed under arrest. He is in police custody till March 12.
Asim Sarode, a lawyer representing the woman, filed a 'vakalatnama' (a document through which a client appoints an advocate to represent them in a case) on behalf of the victim in a city court.
Sarode filed an application before the court seeking a restraining order against public and social media statements that could lead to her character assassination.
"...the said statements are causing a serious blow to the mind of the victim. Hence, it is important in the interest of the victim that such order may kindly be passed in her favour and in her interest," said the application.
According to the officer, the Pune police's crime branch will investigate the case.
while, the Pune police transferred the ongoing investigation into the alleged rape case to the Pune police
The police officer also said that a statement of the victim was recorded before the court.
The police also said that they have collected the DNA samples of the accused and have been sent to the forensic as a part of the probe.
According to the police, the victim was waiting for a bus at the Swargate bus stand to go to her native place in Satara district in the early morning of February 25 when the accused approached her impersonating the bus conductor and offered to take her to the bus.
As per the complaint, the victim went with him and boarded a bus, only to find that it was empty with no lights. The accused followed her in the bus and closed both the doors and allegedly raped her.
The victim, in her complaint, stated that she tried to shout but since the doors and windows were closed, the shouting could not be heard outside.
Gade later escaped from the bus later. The woman who alighted from the bus, later called her friend and subsequently police were informed.
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