Amid speculations that the Pune police tried to hide the rape incident at Swargate bus station, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam has cleared the air about the alleged secrecy, stating that the police were only being cautious.
Kadam told reporters on Thursday that the police had to make a conscious decision to prevent the news from leaking to stop the accused from fleeing. "Had it come out, we wouldn't have been able to get the possible location of the accused which we have now," Kadam said, adding that the accused Dattatray Gade would have fled.
#WATCH | Pune: On being asked if the accused in the Pune bus rape case has a political connection, Maharashtra MoS Home, Yogesh Ramdas Kadam says, "The one who has committed this incident is an accused, and we do not see them as a political figure. He will be treated as an… pic.twitter.com/hfs1AUtu5Y
— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2025
The minister added that there was no attempt to hide the news, but only a bid to maintain secrecy for some time. He was speaking to reporters after visiting the Swargate ST depot and police station on Thursday.
He also expressed confidence that the accused would be caught soon. Kadam said the CCTV visuals proved that police did patrol the busstation multiple times between 12 am to 6 am on the day. The police inspector of the Swargate police station and his team patrolled the premises of the Swargate stand at 1:30 am and 3 am. "Therefore, there is no truth in the allegation that the police were indifferent," said Kadam.
The minister added that though there were over 10 people near the bus where the incident took place, none of them knew the incident. The woman was too shocked to react or protest, which aided the rapist.
"There were 10 to 15 people around the Shivshahi bus when the incident took place. But since she did not resist, no one suspected anything. More things will become clear once the accused is taken into custody," said Yogesh Kadam.
