A Judicial Magistrate First Class Court in Pune today remanded Dattatray Ramdas Gade, the prime accused in the shocking Pune bus rape case, to 12-day police custody. Gade, a 37-year-old habitual offender, was arrested early Friday in Shirur Tehsil after a 75-hour manhunt, ending his attempt to evade justice following the assault of a 26-year-old woman inside an MSRTC bus at Swargate bus station.

The crime occurred in the early hours of February 25, when Gade, posing as a police officer, misled the victim—a medical professional waiting for a bus to Phaltan—into boarding an empty Shiv Shahi AC bus. There, he raped her before fleeing. The Pune Police launched an extensive search, deploying over 100 personnel, 13 teams, drones, and a dog squad. Gade was tracked to a paddy field in Shirur after confessing his crime to relatives in Ghunat village, who tipped off authorities.

Produced before the court on Friday afternoon, Gade faced a prosecution request for extended custody to probe his prior offenses, including theft and robbery in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts. The court’s decision to grant 12 days allows police to investigate further, aided by mobile data showing Gade’s frequent nighttime visits to bus depots.

The incident has fueled public anger, with protests across Pune demanding better safety for women in public spaces. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis promised swift justice, while Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a probe into security lapses at Swargate. The case, unfolding near a police station, has reignited debates over public transport security, with calls for harsher penalties growing louder as the investigation progresses.