Police constable booked for raping woman in Surat

SURAT: A police constable posted at Umarpada police station was booked by Palsana police of Surat district on Tuesday for allegedly raping a 33-year-old woman about a year ago. The woman alleged that the accused cop Naresh Kapadiya had kidnapped her in his car threatening police action last year and raped her.
In her complaint, the woman alleged that during lockdown last year when she was going to buy milk, the accused kidnapped her in his car. He threatened her with police action as she was not wearing a mask. Instead of taking her to the police station, the accused took her on Navsari road and allegedly beat her after stripping her.
The woman alleged that the cop clicked her pictures and raped her. She further claimed that Kapadiya used those photos to blackmail her. “It seems the accused cop and the woman had an affair with each other. Following the dispute, they have lodged complaints against each other,” said a police officer in Bardoli.
Meanwhile, the woman and her husband were booked on a complaint filed by accused cop Naresh Kapadiya’s wife Parvati under The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The complaint was registered with Bardoli police station. Parvati alleged that the woman and her husband had come to her residence and abused her. They allegedly hurled caste-based abuses at her.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Kapadiya was posted at Palsana police station and after a video of him fighting with the complainant woman went viral in January 2021, he was transferred to Umarpada police station.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)