Pune, Maharashtra (April 2, 2025): A Pune court on Wednesday rejected the crime branch's plea seeking an extension of police custody for Dattatray Gade, the accused in the Swargate rape case. The court ruled that police had not provided strong enough reasons for an extension. Gade was arrested on February 28 and was initially remanded in police custody until March 12. However, the Crime Branch sought further custody, arguing that it needed to use advanced 3D technology to analyse his movement and behavioral patterns as part of the investigation. The court’s rejection has slowed this process.
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A 26-year-old woman had lodged a complaint at the Swargate police station, alleging she was raped. After an extensive search, police arrested Gade from a sugarcane field on February 28 around 1:15 a.m. Investigations later revealed that he had six prior cases of robbery against him. Following his arrest, police conducted his medical examination and collected a DNA sample. During his custody, he was taken to the crime scene, and evidence was gathered from the field where he had been hiding. Statements were recorded from individuals he had interacted with during that period.
The police intended to use advanced 3D technology to analyse his movements and behavior, incorporating them as evidence in the case. However, the court’s refusal to grant custody has temporarily delayed this process. The police had sought further custody to complete these procedures and to question him on specific aspects of the crime. The court’s decision to reject the request was confirmed by defense lawyer Wajid Khan Bidkar.
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