A shocking update has come to light in the ongoing rape case involving a young woman on a Shivshahi bus at Pune's Swargate station. The lawyer representing the accused in the case was reportedly kidnapped and assaulted at Dive Ghat in Pune.

As per the information shared by Adv Wajid Khan, On February 26, a young woman was raped on a Shivshahi bus at Pune's Swargate bus depot. The woman was traveling to Phaltan from Swargate when the accused, Datta Gade, noticed she was alone. He engaged her in conversation before leading her to a Shivshahi bus, where he committed the crime. Following the incident, the accused Datta Gade fled from the scene. However, 75 hours later, Pune police successfully arrested Gade from Gunat village.

In a surprising turn of events, on March 17, Sahil Dongre, the lawyer representing Datta Gade, was kidnapped from Hadapsar and taken to Dive Ghat. Dongre was beaten before being released at the ghat. After the assault, Dongre filed a complaint at the Hadapsar police station while seeking medical attention. The exact reason behind the attack is yet unclear. Dongre is currently receiving treatment at Sassoon Hospital.

Search on for accused

Dongre serves as the assistant lawyer to Wajid Khan, the lead counsel of the accused Datta Gade. During the court proceedings, Khan had questioned the victim's credibility, making several controversial statements. He claimed that the incident could not have been forced, as it occurred during the morning, and suggested the victim could have screamed for help. Khan also claimed that the victim took ₹7,500 from the accused, implying that the act may have been consensual.

Authorities are now investigating the kidnapping and assault of Dongre.