Man working in US firm arrested in Mumbai for raping woman

Woman alleges he raped her on pretext of marrying her, and cheated her of Rs1.3lakh

A 25-year-old man working in the USA with a popular cruise company was arrested on charges of rape and cheating after his girlfriend alleged he had raped her on the pretext of marrying her. The complainant also told the police that the accused took ₹1.3 lakh from her.

The woman alleged that the arrested accused had told her he would marry her only if she converted to his religion. (HT FILE)

In her complaint to the Shahu Nagar police, the 28-year-old woman said she met the accused near her residence around two years ago through her landlord. The accused and the woman eventually became friends and six months later, got into a relationship, she said.

In December 2016, the accused, left to work for the US-based cruise company and returned to the city in June last year. The complainant said that upon his return, he promised to marry her and they got into a physical relationship.

The woman also alleged that he raped her at a five-star hotel in Colaba after returning from the US. He subsequently started asking for money as he claimed to be in need of cash and took ₹1.3 lakh in total from her, police said.

When he returned to the US, the complainant asked him about their marriage after which he told her that they belong to different religions. He told her he would take permission from his relatives about the same. However, he subsequently told her he would marry her only if she converts, the complainant said.

Meanwhile, the accused had stopped talking to the woman and when he returned to India in late March, the complainant lodged a police complaint.

The accused was produced before a metropolitan court on Monday.

“The medical examination of the accused is yet to be done. The police also need to investigate as to which places he took her to commit the offence,” submitted public prosecutor Priti Jagtap.

The metropolitan court has remanded him in police custody till Friday.