Pune Bus Rape: Accused’s Lawyer Defends Him Says “Nothing Was Done Forcefully” “She Could’ve Shouted for Help”

Pune: The lawyer representing Dattatray Ramdas Gade, the accused in the Pune bus rape case, has made controversial claims, stating that “nothing was done forcefully” and that the victim could have shouted for help.

The statement came after Gade was produced before a Judicial Magistrate First Class Court on Friday, which remanded him to 12-day police custody.

Defence Lawyer’s Controversial Remarks

Advocate Wajid Khan, representing Gade, claimed that the 26-year-old victim had opportunities to call for help as the incident took place at 5:45 AM at Swargate bus station on Tuesday. He also emphasized that Gade had previous cases against him related to robbery, but not rape, and that he was never convicted.

Also Read: 500 Cops, 400 Villagers, Dog Squads & Drones: How Pune Rape Accused Was Caught After 75-Hour Chase

Accused Caught After Extensive Search Operation

Gade was arrested on Thursday midnight after an intensive search operation involving drones and sniffer dogs in Shirur tehsil, Pune district. He was found hiding in a paddy field.

Police Account of the Crime

According to police reports, the accused lured the woman by addressing her as “didi” (sister) and led her to an empty Shiv Shahi state transport bus parked inside the Swargate bus depot, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

The police described Gade as a habitual offender, though he was not convicted in past cases. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities focusing on forensic evidence and witness statements to strengthen the case.