Lonavla rape case: Event management staff on police radar

The initial probe by the Pune rural police into the alleged rape of the 29-year-old executive of an MNC has revealed that some staffers of an event management company were also present at the Sahara Aamby Valley resort when the incident took place in the wee hours of December 10.

“Around 15 to 20 staffers of an event management company were present at the resort, which was hired by the MNC to organise the conference,” police sources said.

According to the police, the employees of the event
management company are also on the police radar, besides the staff of the resort and the MNC.

The rape victim was part of the MNC staff comprising 270 people that visited the resort for a conference. She was allegedly raped twice and assaulted in her room.

Later, she lodged a complaint at the Paud police station. The police lodged an FIR against unknown persons.

The Pune rural police on Thursday sent a letter to the MNC seeking details of the staff that attended the conference. “We have sought information about the number of men and women employees of the MNC at the conference and their native places,” police sources added.

The Pune rural police have sent a team to Kolhapur, Nashik and Mumbai as part of the investigations.

However, the police did not elaborate why the team has been sent to these places. “We have formed four teams, of them one would be visiting these places.

The second team is stationed in Aamby Valley resort, the third one is engaged in the forensic investigations and the last one is collecting details of the three companies,” police officials said.

According to the Pune rural SP, Pratap Dighavkar, the probe is moving in the right direction.

“We are keen to nab the suspect as soon as possible,” he said, refusing to share details of the probe.

Police sources said the victim was allotted a room, along with a female colleague. But the latter could not attend the conference due to personal reasons. So, the victim was staying alone in the room.

“The room where the victim had put up had two keys, one with her and the other at the reception of the resort,” he said.

A programme of the company was conducted at the resort on December 9 at night, following which she reached her room at 12.10 am. She was tired and forgot to lock the room.

According to the police, she called her friend after the incident and narrated the incident to her. She even informed her parents. Her parents came from Mumbai and visited the resort. They refrained fro registering a police complaint.

Later, when the MNC came to know about the incident, its doctor in Mumbai insisted to have the victim’s medical check-up done. Accordingly, it was conducted at a Colaba hospital.

The victim then filed a case at the Paud police station and a fresh medical examination was done at the Sassoon
General Hospital.

The CCTV footage at the resort is not of much help since the visuals are not sharp.

A spokesperson of Sahara Aamby Valley said that the matter is under investigation by the police.

“We would not like to comment on the issue. It is expected that the media should report with fairness and truthfulness,” he added.