Bhavani Srinivasan & Mateen Hafeez TNN
Mumbai: Cuffe Parade police probing a rape complaint filed by a 19-year-old Brazilian against Cuffe Parade Residents’ Association president Padmakar Nandekar have learnt Nandekar had invited her for dinner to his home and promised to drop her back to Bandra where she currently lives. But he took her to a five-star hotel, instead.
Nandekar, 52, was arrested on Monday on charges of rape. He has been sent to policy custody till May 24.
The
survivor is a participant in a year-long youth exchange programme
organized by a popular club. She arrived in India in August 2018. “The
girl stayed with Nandekar’s family for six months and later moved in
with another family in Bandra,” said an officer.
According to the police, on April 15, Nandekar’s wife was out of town when he took the girl for dinner to a five-star hotel near Gateway of India where he allegedly spiked her drink and raped her. The girl has told police she felt dizzy and when she woke up the next morning she found Nandekar in the room. The survivor has told the police she left the hotel and spoke to her mother in Brazil who told her to file a complaint. The girl, along with the Bandra family, then approached Cuffe Parade police. The police took the girl for medical examination and a final report is awaited.
Nandekar’s daughter is on a similar exchange programme in Spain.
A spokesperson said the exchange programme rules are strict and this is the first time such an incident has occurred. “As per guidelines, the exchange student has to return to the host family’s residence by 10 pm. However, since Nandekar had previously hosted the girl, he knew her new host family which is why she was allowed to stay out with him overnight,” he said.
“Nandekar is influential and so the girl’s host family first approached the club, which filed the FIR against him,” the spokesperson stated. The international organisation is likely to suspend his membership.
The Cuffe Parade Residents’ Association has not taken any decision yet on ousting Nandekar.
The Times of India, May 23, 2019
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