An Ayurvedic doctor has been booked for allegedly molesting a 30-year-old married woman in Virar. Following the woman’s complaint, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and initiated a detailed investigation into the matter. The incident reportedly occurred in the Evershine Nagar area, where the accused operates his Ayurvedic clinic. Police officials have begun collecting relevant evidence and are in the process of recording statements from the complainant as well as potential witnesses to establish the sequence of events. Authorities stated that all available material is being thoroughly examined as part of the probe. However, there has been no official confirmation yet on whether the doctor has been arrested in connection with the case.
In a separate case, a man who had been on the run for nearly a year in connection with a brutal gang rape case was arrested last week by the Crime Detection Team of the Naigaon Police Station. The accused, identified as Nagesh Gaikwad, had been absconding since the offence was registered in 2024. Police officials confirmed that his arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the case, which had already seen three other accused taken into custody earlier. Investigators tracked him down after sustained efforts, bringing relief to the victim and strengthening the ongoing legal proceedings in the serious crime.
The case dates back to November 27, 2024, when the woman had travelled alone to Pune in search of employment opportunities. After missing a scheduled job interview due to a delay, she reached out for help to her husband’s acquaintance, Pawan Rajendra Prasad Sabbat, who resides in Mira Road. According to police, Sabbat assured her that he would arrange employment. He allegedly travelled to Pune, brought her back to Mira Road, and confined her inside a room near Chandika Temple under the pretext of helping her secure a job.
Police investigations revealed that during her confinement, the woman was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Sabbat and his associates, identified as Dhanraj Chavan and Abhishek Pujari. The ordeal reportedly continued for several days. Gaikwad, who was arrested last week, is accused of molesting the victim during the same period. Authorities stated that the accused acted in concert, exploiting the woman’s vulnerable situation. The incident led to the registration of a serious criminal case, with multiple charges invoked against the accused under stringent legal provisions.
Apart from sexual assault, the accused allegedly robbed the victim of her valuables, including a mobile phone, mangalsutra, earrings and ₹15,000 in cash. The total value of the stolen items was estimated at around ₹75,000. Police further stated that the prime accused created a fake Instagram account in the woman’s name and uploaded her photographs without consent. Based on her complaint, Naigaon Police registered offences under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act, and launched a detailed investigation.
While Sabbat, Chavan and Pujari were arrested earlier in the investigation, Gaikwad had managed to evade capture for several months. Acting on instructions from Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Hajare, the crime detection team intensified its search operations. Following specific intelligence inputs and technical surveillance, the police traced Gaikwad to Kamshet in Pune district, where he was apprehended. During questioning, he allegedly admitted his role in the crime, after which he was formally placed under arrest. Police said further investigation into the case is ongoing.