Pune Rape Case: 'The Complaint Was False, Attacker Was A Friend’, says Police

The rape case complaint from a 22-year-old IT professional in Pune has been declared false by the Pune police. The woman had claimed that a man posing as a delivery agent entered her flat, used a chemical spray to make her unconscious, and raped her. The "delivery agent" was actually a friend of the woman, and he had visited her flat with her full consent, a top police officer announced on Sunday, reported PTI.

"The evidence, including phone chats, the sequence of events, and mobile communication, points out that it is not a case of rape," Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told PTI . "The complaint filed by her was entirely false and misleading."

The woman had initially told police that the attacker took a selfie with her phone and typed a message threatening to share her photos if she reported the incident. But the investigation showed there was no forced entry and no chemical spray was used, according to PTI. 

Police discovered that the selfie was taken with the consent of both the woman and her friend. After he left, it was the woman herself who edited the photo and wrote the threatening message on her own phone.

According to PTI, investigators used CCTV footage from the housing society to get a clear picture of the man. When they showed the photo to the woman, she refused to identify him. Police then tracked the man down using footage of his motorcycle.During questioning, the man told police he was known to the woman and had visited her with her permission. He was not posing as a delivery agent. After giving his statement, police served him a notice and let him go.

Police said the woman had earlier told them that her "unstable mental condition" led her to make the false claim. The motive for her actions is still being investigated, and police have not yet decided what legal action will be taken against her, reported PTI 

Commissioner Kumar also spoke to PTI about the damage such false claims can do. He said the initial report led to stories that painted Pune as an unsafe city for women."Pune remains a safe city for women," he said, urging people not to spread false information. "Pune Police are committed to maintaining law and order."