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Woman booked for filing false rape complaint in Kondhwa case
Senior police officers said that a non-cognisable (NC) offence has been registered against the woman after the probe revealed that the incident she reported on July 2 was fabricated
The Pune city police have booked the 22-year-old IT professional for allegedly lodging a false rape complaint, weeks after her sensational claim of being sexually assaulted by a man posing as a delivery agent triggered a massive investigation. The action came within a fortnight of Pune Police commissioner Amitesh Kumar declaring that the woman had filed a fake complaint to mislead police.
Senior police officers said that a non-cognisable (NC) offence has been registered against the woman after the probe revealed that the incident she reported on July 2 was fabricated.
“We have booked the woman under sections 212 (providing false information), 217 (giving false information to public servant respecting an offence committed), 228 (fabricating evidence ) and 229 (punishment for false evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,” said Manoj Patil, additional commissioner of police, East.
The woman had claimed in her complaint that the accused entered her Kondhwa flat, pretending to deliver bank documents. He then sprayed an unknown substance on her to render her unconscious and raped her. Before leaving, he used her phone to take a selfie and post a threatening message.
In response to the initial FIR, the police launched a citywide search operation involving over 500 personnel and analysis of CCTV footage from more than 500 cameras. A man working at an IT firm in Baner was detained for questioning.
However, during the course of the investigation, it was established that there was no forced entry into the apartment, no trace of any sedative spray, and no signs of physical assault. The police also confirmed that the woman and the man she had accused of rape had known each other for over a year, having met at a community event, and were regularly in touch through messages.
Police said the man and the woman were inside the flat together from 7:30pm to 8:45pm on the evening of the alleged incident. “The selfie was taken with mutual consent, and the message was edited and posted after the man had left the flat,” a senior police officer said.
The man was released after questioning as the police found out that the woman’s claims were baseless. The motive behind her false claims remains under investigation. According to police sources, she may face more serious charges after a legal opinion is taken.
Senior police officers said the case underscores the importance of verifying facts before registering serious charges, as false complaints can not only harm the accused but also undermine genuine survivors’ access to justice.
