Rape in cab: Accused sent to judicial custody

Thane Court on Tuesday has ordered to sent the two people, accused of kidnapping and raping a 32-year-old woman inside the cab, to judicial custody. The law experts also slammed the Kashimira police for failing to apply the charges of gang rape against the accused. The police are yet to complete the investigation.

According to police, the victim was working with a mall in Mumbai and a resident of Thane. Unknowingly, she sat in a cab which was occupied by Suresh Pandurang Gosavi (32), formerly employed with app-based cab service Ola, and his friend Umesh Jaswant Zala (31). On the pretext of dropping her, the accused took her to a desolated area near Chena creek before they looted and raped her. The woman later alerted the lodge manager at Vajreshwari about the incident.

"We have recovered the stolen things and the debit card that was used to withdraw Rs 10,000 from the account of the victim. We wanted to investigate further to ascertain the criminal background of the accused among other reasons.", said a Kashimira police officer.

Meanwhile, Former IPS officer and Advocate YP Singh, said, "The police should have applied the Section 376(D))(Gang Rape) (which attracts punishment not less than 20 years) instead of applying section 376(rape) which attracts (punishment not less than 10 years) of the IPC. The police, however, can add the relevant Sections and file the chargesheet."

"The carelessness of the officer while applying the Section could weaken the case.", said Singh. Vaibhav Shingare, inspector, Kashimira police station, said, "We are yet to recover the stolen property. However, when produced before the magistrate of Thane court, the accused have been sent to Judicial custody. We are taking the statement of the lodge manager and are investigating further."