Pune: IT Engineer Victim Files ‘Shocking’ Affidavit in Assault Case, Contradicting Pune Police in Court
Pune, 3rd March 2025: In a significant development in the Pune Assault Case, the victim IT engineer has submitted an affidavit to the court stating that the accused who attacked him were not instigated by anyone. Simultaneously, Gajanan Marne, a notorious figure implicated in the case, has been remanded to judicial custody by the special court.
The victim’s affidavit contradicts the Pune police’s earlier claim that Gajanan Marne incited the attackers with phrases like “Masti aali aahe, saalyala maara” (He has gotten an attitude, beat him). In his sworn statement, the young engineer clarified that no one besides the assailants was present at the scene and that the attack was not carried out at anyone’s behest.
The incident, which occurred on 19th February in the Bhelke Nagar area of Kothrud, led to the arrest of Gajanan Pandharinath Marne (58) and five others under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Two suspects, Rupesh Marne and Babya Pawar, remain at large.
Initially, Gajanan Marne had surrendered to the police after the case was registered. The police had claimed that Marne instigated his associates to assault the complainant in public. However, the victim’s affidavit now states that the incident resulted from a momentary misunderstanding and that he had only filed a complaint against three to four unknown individuals who physically assaulted him.
During the court proceedings, Special Judge V.R. Kachare considered the defense’s argument that Marne was not present at the scene and therefore could not have instigated the attack. This claim was supported by the victim’s affidavit. As a result, the court ordered judicial custody for Gajanan Marne while extending the police custody of three other accused – Dharmajidnyasu, Padwal, and Tapkir – until 6th March for further investigation and to aid in the search for the absconding suspects.
