With the official blame game, the political drama over the recent Swargate bus stand rape case in Pune has started. After the photos of the accused, Dattatray Ramdas Gade (37), with NCP leaders from both factions went viral, both factions seem to be in trouble now.
In the photos that have come to light, one can see the accused posing as a worker of Ajit Pawar's NCP MLA Mauli Katke. It was also being said that the accused is a worker of Shirur MLA Mauli Katke. Along with this, a photo of the accused is seen on the flex of former Shirur MLA Ashok Pawar. Since Gade's photo is seen on the flex put up on the occasion of Ashok Pawar's birthday, the question is being raised: Is the accused, Datta Gade, a worker of any political party?
Meanwhile, Shirur MLA Mauli Katke has clarified the matter. Finally, he said, "Even though I have a photo with the person concerned, I have no connection with him. The discussions going on in the media are wrong."
#Pune Bus Rape Case | Activist Trupti Desai and her supporters detained after they tried to stop the convoy of Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam, who was on his way to the Swargate bus depot.#PuneCrime #PuneNews #swargate pic.twitter.com/W4aoXsu6tz
— Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) February 27, 2025
What happened at Swargate?
The incident took place on Tuesday when the rape survivor, a working woman, was waiting for a bus to return home to Phaltan, which is located around 100 km away. She was allegedly approached by the accused, who falsely claimed that the bus to her destination was parked elsewhere. He led her to a MSRTC Shivsahi bus parked in the depot and followed her in where he allegedly raped her.
It should be noted that accused Gade, who is the residnet of Shirur Tehsil, has half a dozen cases of theft, robbery and chain-snatching registered against him in Pune and adjoining Ahilyanagar district, and was out on bail since 2019 in one of the offences.
As many as 13 police teams are working to track down accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade (37) who is on the run since the incident which took place on early Tuesday morning. Swargate in Pune city is one of the largest bus depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The shocking incident in the heart of the city caused an uproar, with Opposition lambasting the BJP-led Maharashtra government over women's safety.