Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has said a woman’s rape complaint was false and misled the police. He warned against spreading fake stories that defame Pune, a city known for being safe for women.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has said that the rape complaint filed by a 22-year-old woman was false and misleading. He confirmed that the woman’s allegations created an unnecessary fear about women’s safety in Maharashtra's Pune and led to a fake narrative on social media.
Speaking to the press, Kumar said, “It was found that the woman had filed a false complaint. Her complaint misled the Pune Police.”
He also added that full police resources were used to investigate the case and it was solved within 24 hours.
“No one should try to defame Pune, a city known to be one of the safest, through fake narratives,” he said.
The complaint created panic
The case had gone viral on social media after the woman claimed that a man posing as a courier delivery agent entered her flat and raped her. She also claimed that the man took a selfie with her after the act and wrote on the photo that he would come back.
This created a wave of concern, with people questioning women’s safety in Pune. However, police have now said that the accused is not unknown to the woman and that the entire story was fabricated.
Police investigation revealed major gaps in the complaint
The complaint was filed on July 2, and a case was registered at Kondhwa Police Station under Sections 64, 77, and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Over 500 police personnel were deployed to trace the accused. CCTV footage from around the area was also thoroughly examined.
By July 4, Police Commissioner Kumar had revealed that the man was known to the woman and was not a delivery agent. He worked at a well-known IT company in Pune and was picked up from the Baner area for questioning.
No proof of forced entry, assault, or drugging
Police have said there is no evidence that the accused used any spray or chemical to assault the woman, as she had claimed. The alleged selfie taken after the incident was also mutually taken, police said.
According to officials, the text written on the selfie was added later by the woman, after the man had left.
The woman also told the investigators that she was not in a stable frame of mind during the time of the complaint.
Rape charge still under investigation
Even though many of the claims were proven false, Police Commissioner Kumar said that the rape charge is still being looked into.
“We appeal to the public and media not to jump to conclusions until the inquiry is completed,” he said.
Official not arrested yet
The man who was picked up from Baner for questioning has not been formally arrested, the Police Commissioner said. His statement is being recorded, and further steps will depend on what the investigation uncovers.
Police urge public not to spread fear
The Pune Police Chief said that the wrong information in this case had led to an unfair narrative that Pune is unsafe for women.
He stressed that Pune continues to be one of the safest cities, and police take all complaints seriously. However, fake complaints make it harder for the police and can harm the city’s image.
(With ANI inputs)