March 1, 2025: The accused in the Pune bus rape case, Dattatray Ramdas Gade, referred to the 26-year-old survivor as ‘didi’ (sister) before luring her into an empty ‘Shiv Shahi’ bus at the Swargate depot and assaulting her, police informed the court on Friday.

According to a PTI report, the 37-year-old accused has a criminal history, with at least six cases registered against him across Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. CCTV footage from the bus terminus captured his presence on the day of the incident.

Authorities are yet to recover data from the mobile phone he was using. Out of the six cases filed against him, five involve women as complainants, police revealed.

On Friday, a Pune court remanded Gade to police custody until March 12. He was apprehended from a paddy field in Shirur tehsil of Pune district after an extensive search operation involving drones, sniffer dogs, and multiple police teams.

While technology played a key role in tracking the accused, human intelligence ultimately led to his arrest, a senior police official said. Gade was formally taken into custody and presented before the Pune Sessions Court under heavy security, where police sought his remand for 14 days.

Fearing police action, the accused allegedly attempted suicide by hanging himself from a dry tree, but the rope broke, thwarting his attempt.

"A preliminary medical report shows a ligature mark on his body, suggesting a suicide attempt. We are awaiting the final medical report," Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told PTI.

The search operation in the sugarcane fields had been paused at night, but police received a tip-off that Gade had sought food at a local house. Although he managed to escape before officers arrived, the family provided him with a bottle of water, police added.