Thane, Police have arrested a 22-year-old man from Pune who had been absconding for more than a year after being accused in a gangrape and robbery case in Maharashtra’s Thane district, officials said on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Nagesh Keshav Gaikwad, was part of a group that allegedly confined a woman and sexually assaulted her under the pretext of getting her a job in November 2024, Naigaon police station’s senior inspector Sanjay Hazare said.
The accused had been evading arrest by hiding his identity since the case was registered. Following a tip-off and technical surveillance, the police tracked him to Kamshet and took him into custody on Sunday, he said.
The case dates back to November 27, 2024, when the victim went from here to Pune seeking employment. After missing an interview, she contacted her husband’s friend Pawan Rajendra Prasad Sabbat , who promised to help her find work.
Sabbat then lured her to come to Mira Road in Thane, where he allegedly confined her in a room, the official said.
The investigation showed that Sabbat and two of his accomplices – Dhanraj Chavan and Abhishek Pujari – allegedly sexually assaulted the victim over several days. They also allegedly robbed the woman of her mobile phone, gold jewellery and cash, collectively valued at ₹75,000, he said.
Sabbat also allegedly created a fake Instagram profile using the victim’s name and uploaded her photographs to harass her.
Gaikwad was accused of molesting the victim and being involved in the robbery, Hazare said.
The Naigaon police had earlier arrested Sabbat, Chavan and Pujari.
“We have booked the accused under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections, including 64 , 309 , 70 and 75 , and relevant provisions of the Information Technology. During preliminary interrogation, Gaikwad has confessed to his involvement,” Hazare said.
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