Thane man held for rape on false marriage promise

Thane, May 8 (PTI) A 40-year-old man from Maharashtra’s Thane district has been arrested for allegedly raping a housewife over nearly two years on the false promise of marriage and forcing her to undergo an abortion, an official said on Friday.
    The action against accused Viren Hasmukh Patel, a resident of Kolsewadi in Kalyan, came on a complaint by a 27-year-old woman, originally hailing from Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in Kalyan.
    According to the First Information Report (FIR), the crime was committed between September 2024 and April 2026. Citing the complaint, a police official said that Patel allegedly lured the woman with the promise of marriage, claiming he would legally divorce his current wife.
    “The accused took the complainant to various rented rooms and lodges, where he allegedly engaged in repeated physical relations with her under the pretext of their future marriage,” the official said.
    When the woman became pregnant, Patel allegedly forced her to take abortion pills, leading to a miscarriage without her consent, as per the FIR.
    The victim and her parents recently visited Patel’s residence to question him about the status of his divorce and his commitment to marry her. However, Patel allegedly insulted, abused and assaulted the three, the official said.
    The case against Patel has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections, including the ones pertaining to rape, sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means and causing miscarriage without a woman’s consent, police said.
    The Kongaon police have taken the accused into custody, and further investigation into the matter is underway, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)