Mumbai: Fugitive Accused in Rape Case Arrested in Bihar After UPI Payment Leads Police to Hideout

Mumbai/Darbhanga, 10th June 2023: In a significant breakthrough, the 26-year-old accused in a high-profile rape case, who had fled from Mumbai, has been arrested by the police from Darbhanga, Bihar. The accused had evaded capture for weeks following the registration of the case last month. However, a traceable UPI payment of Rs 50 made at a local hair salon ultimately led the authorities to his whereabouts.

The distressing incident unfolded when a 25-year-old woman lodged a complaint at the South Mumbai police station on May 8, alleging that she had been raped by an individual she had met through social media under the pretext of marriage. Tragically, the victim became pregnant, after which the accused forced her to have an abortion against her will. The accused now faces charges under sections 376 (rape), 313 (abortion without the woman’s consent), 417 (cheating), and 506 (2) (threatening) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to law enforcement officials, immediately after the case was filed, a police team was dispatched to the accused’s residence in Mumbai. However, he had managed to escape prior to their arrival. With his phone switched off, the police resorted to analysing his call details, which helped them uncover his identity, as well as the names and addresses of his relatives.

Investigations led the police to suspect that the accused hailed from Bihar, specifically having a sister residing in Darbhanga. Initially, considering Darbhanga’s proximity to Nepal, police suspected that he might have fled to Nepal. But subsequently, the police came to know that he was at his sister’s house in Darbhanga. Following that, a team was dispatched from Mumbai to Darbhanga on May 11.

Taking a strategic approach, the police refrained from entering the accused’s sister’s house immediately to avoid alerting him. Instead, they stationed a vigilant patrol outside the residence. Meanwhile, a constable in Mumbai received information that a UPI payment had been processed from the suspect’s bank account, amounting to Rs 50, at a salon in Darbhanga.

Leveraging the UPI payment data, the police swiftly acquired the salon’s name, contact details, and address from the digital payment company. Moreover, they promptly established contact with the salon’s driver, who divulged that the salon was situated a mere 50 metres away from the accused’s sister’s residence. With this information in hand, the police hurried to the salon, presenting the salon driver with a photograph of the accused. Upon receiving confirmation of the accused’s presence, the police conducted a raid on his sister’s house that very night, successfully apprehending him.

The accused, now in police custody, was subsequently transported to Mumbai. During rigorous interrogation, he confessed to the heinous crime, further strengthening the case against him. He has been remanded to judicial custody.