In a shocking turn of events, the Government Railway Police (GRP) is unraveling a horrifying rape case involving a minor girl at the Railway Quarters on Tadiwala Road in Pune. The case has taken a distressing twist with the arrest of two more individuals, Karan Rathore (30) and Sushmita Kasbe (24), bringing the total number of arrests to three. The prime accused, RPF head constable Anil Pawar, is still at large. What is most alarming is the heinous nature of the crime, as the victim, a minor girl, was subjected to days of sexual assault under the guise of rescue, with money being extorted from her boyfriend.
Rathore and Kasbe face charges of unlawfully confining the minor girl. Investigations have revealed that Anil Pawar, the mastermind behind this heinous act, operated an NGO named Siddharth Multipurpose Society from the railway quarters. This NGO, registered in his wife’s name, allegedly extorted money from the families of girls who had run away from home. Pawar employed private individuals, paying them cash salaries ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, to track and locate these girls.
The Pune GRP has exposed the existence of a register containing the names of 462 individuals. These names correspond to those who were supposedly housed in the railway quarters under the pretext of rescue by the NGO. Pawar’s organization allegedly collected money from these individuals by contacting their relatives. However, the GRP suspects that the actual number of victims may exceed those recorded in the register since it contains the name of the victim’s lover and not the victim herself.
Violations of Guidelines and Lack of Security Measures have come to light in this case. The building housing the Siddharth Multipurpose Society lacked essential security measures, including CCTV surveillance. Furthermore, the NGO failed to adhere to any guidelines related to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Another alarming detail is the accused Pawar’s consumption of alcohol in the NGO office. The GRP believes that there might be additional victims who have refrained from reporting due to familial or societal pressures.
Shrikant Dhivare, Superintendent of Police (GRP, Pune), emphasized that the investigation is thorough and encompasses all angles. Those found involved will face action. Dhivare also appealed to victims who have not lodged complaints to contact Pune GRP, assuring that their names and addresses will be kept confidential.
