Sakti, May 30 (IANS) Police in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district have arrested a man and remanded him to judicial custody on charges of luring a young woman with a false promise of marriage via Instagram, kidnapping and subsequently raping her. The accused, who had been absconding since the crime, was successfully apprehended with the technical assistance of the district’s Cyber Cell.

According to police officials, the harrowing ordeal came to light when the victim approached the police station to file a formal complaint on May 25. In her statement, she detailed how she had befriended the accused, identified as 26-year-old Rakesh Tandon, a resident of Themhapara in Bilaspur district.

Earning her trust through social media, Tandon assured the young woman that he would marry her and asked her to meet him at Mission Chowk on May 11. It is alleged that upon her arrival, he took her on his motorcycle to a secluded location. Once there, he threatened to kill her and raped her.

The victim further alleged in her complaint that the accused then forcibly transported her to Bilaspur, breaking her mobile SIM card en route to sever her communication with the outside world.

Travelling via Gondia, she was eventually taken to the Karad-Malkapur region of Maharashtra. She was confined in a house there and subjected to continuous physical and sexual exploitation, enduring severe threats that her family members would be harmed if she resisted or attempted to escape.

Given the gravity of the incident, the police swiftly registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Crime No. 198/2026, invoking stringent Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case falls under the jurisdiction of the Malkharoda Police Station.

A massive manhunt was launched under the direct supervision of Superintendent of Police Prafull Thakur, Additional Superintendent of Police Pankaj Patel, and SDOP Dr. Bhuvaneshwari Painkra.

During the ongoing investigation, authorities received credible Intelligence indicating that the accused had returned to his hometown. Acting decisively, a joint police and Cyber Cell team cordoned off the area and apprehended him.

During interrogation, Tandon confessed to the charges. He was formally arrested on May 29 and produced before a local court, which promptly remanded him to judicial custody.

Officials confirmed that the investigation remains active. The dedicated police team, notably led by Cyber Cell In-charge Sub-Inspector C.P. Kanwar, played a pivotal role in tracking the digital footprint and ensuring the swift arrest of the perpetrator.

–IANS

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