Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Police widen manhunt to nab Dattatraya Ramdas Gade; Shinde assures ‘strict action’

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: A 26-year-old woman in Pune was raped inside an MSRTC bus parked at the Swargate bus depot. The accused, Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, has a history of theft and robbery charges and was out on bail since 2019.

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 where he allegedly raped her. 

ALSO READ: Out on bail since 2019, who is ‘accused’ Dattatraya Ramdas Gade?

The Pune Police have launched an extensive search operation, releasing Gade's photo and offering a ₹1 lakh reward for information leading to his arrest. A total of 13 teams have been deployed to track down the suspect, with eight teams from the Crime Branch and five teams from Swargate Police Station working on the ground.

ALSO READ: Cops release poster of accused; Eknath Shinde says, ‘culprit will not be spared’

Eknath Shinde on Thursday assured justice in the Pune bus rape case. The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister said, "The culprit in this case will not be spared, be it whoever he is. Strict action will be taken against him." The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognizance of the case, emphasizing concerns over public safety.

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27 Feb 2025, 08:50:52 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: CM Devendra Fadnavis demanded serious action

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has claimed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has issued serious directives.

"CM Devendra Fadnavis has also taken the incident seriously and has given the necessary instructions to the police. The police will arrest the accused at the earliest and the state government will take all necessary steps to ensure that the accused is given the harshest punishment. This is my assurance to all the brothers, sisters, and mothers of Maharashtra," Pawar told ANI.

27 Feb 2025, 08:24:41 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar condemns the incident

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar called the incident shameful, painful, and infuriating.

"The incident of rape of our sister at Pune's Swargate bus stand is extremely shameful, painful, and infuriating for every member of a civilised society. The crime committed by the accused is unforgivable, and there can be no punishment except the death penalty. I have personally instructed the Pune Police Commissioner to closely monitor the investigation and ensure immediate arrest of the accused," Ajit Pawar told ANI.

27 Feb 2025, 07:54:43 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Top security-vigilance post at MSRTC vacant since mid-2022

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates:  MSRTC does not have a Chief Security and Vigilance Officer (CSVO) for almost three years.

After the retirement of the previous CSVO MK Bhosale, the post was transferred to the Pimpri Chinchwad commissionerate as joint commissioner. "The post, which was of IG rank, was downgraded to that of DIG for Bhosale. Since his retirement almost three years ago, the CVSO post in MSRTC is vacant. The post of Chief Security Officer was prevalent since 1949, before the nomenclature was changed to Chief Security and Vigilance Officer," an official told PTI.

27 Feb 2025, 07:34:27 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Reward of ₹1 lakh

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Pune Police announced a reward of ₹1 lakh for anybody providing information about the accused.

DCP Smartana Patil told ANI that atleast 13 police teams are working to find the accused, Dattatray Ramdas Gade (37), who has absconded.

27 Feb 2025, 07:10:43 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Who is Dattatraya Ramdas Gade?

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Dattatraya Ramdas Gade, 36, has a history of criminal activity, with six cases of theft, robbery, and chain-snatching registered against him in Pune and the neighbouring Ahilyanagar district, reported PTI. He has been out on bail since 2019.

27 Feb 2025, 06:50:30 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Minister Sanjay Shirsat makes surprise visit to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar bus station

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat made a surprise visit to the bus station in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and did not find any policemen there.

“It is my duty to check the situation in my city. I found that there were no policemen here. They don’t even have any space to sit. This is a chowki and at least two cops should be deployed here," Shirsat told PTI.

“This place looks like a storage space. It seems the police and state transport administration have not become serious yet. There are CCTV cameras here, but we don’t know whether they are working," he said.

27 Feb 2025, 06:33:13 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Former CJI asks for quick trial and punishment

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: While speaking about the rape case, former CJI Chandrachud emphasised the need for "proper investigation, strong action, quick trial and punishment" and stated the "legal system and the police have a big responsibility". 

"At every level, we should think about this carefully so that women can do their jobs safely. That is the fundamental of an equitable society," the former CJI told PTI.

27 Feb 2025, 06:17:42 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Former CJI urges for proper implementation of laws

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud remembered the 2012 Nirbhaya incident and asserted crimes against women cannot be prevented only by laws but by their proper implementation.

"We cannot prevent such incidents by only having laws. Besides laws, huge responsibility lies on the shoulders of society and proper implementation of the laws made for women. A large number of women go to work etc. Hence, the laws made for them should be properly implemented so that they feel safe," former CJI told PTI.

27 Feb 2025, 05:52:03 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates:  Is accused hiding in sugarcane field?

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Police suspect that Dattatray Ramdas Gade is hiding in a sugarcane field near his hometown, reported NDTV. The police had also deployed sniffer dogs and drones  to find the accused.

27 Feb 2025, 05:30:48 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Leader of Opposition criticises Maharashtra government

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Maharashtra Assembly's Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar criticised the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.

"This incident is shameful for Maharashtra. Law and order have been shattered in Maharashtra. Such incidents are increasing everywhere," Wadettiwar told ANI.

27 Feb 2025, 05:11:48 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Yogesh Kadam blames MSRTC security guards

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam blamed the security guards at the Swargate MSRTC bus depot for a security lapse leading to the rape of the 26-year-old woman.

27 Feb 2025, 04:41:30 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: NCP-SCP leaders protest 

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates:  Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SCP members protested against the rape incident at the Swargate bus depot in Pune, demanding strict action against the accused. They sought for capital punishment for the rape accused.

27 Feb 2025, 04:32:40 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: What is the case about?

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: On Tuesday, a rape survivor and a working woman, was waiting for a bus to return home to Phaltan. During this time, the accused allegedly approached her and said that the bus was parked somewhere else. He took her to the MSRTC Shivsahi bus park, where he allegedly raped her.

27 Feb 2025, 04:14:45 PM IST

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: Police release poster of Dattatraya Ramdas Gade; offer ₹1 Lakh reward for information

Pune Bus Rape Case LIVE Updates: The Pune Police has widened the manhunt for nabbing  the Pune rape case accused Dattatraya Ramdas Gade. Pune city police have released a poster of the wanted accused. 

As per the poster, "A case has been registered under section 64, 351(2) of 2023 and the said case is accused named Dattatray Ramdas Gade, age 37 years, Res. Gunat T. Shirur, Distt. Pune and he is a wanted accused in the registered crime. Information about accused Dattatray Gade Rs. 1,00,000/- (one lakh rupees) will be awarded. The name of the informant will be kept confidential."