A 30-year-old Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Darshan Dugad, has been booked for rape following a complaint by a woman doctor with whom he was allegedly in a romantic relationship. The case was registered at Imamwada police station after the woman accused Dugad of sexually assaulting her under the pretext of marriage.
According to the complaint, the officer befriended the woman, referred to as Dr. Isha (name changed), through Instagram in November 2022 while she was pursuing her MBBS. Their online acquaintance developed into a romantic relationship, with the duo frequently talking and eventually meeting in person. Isha later began working at a private hospital.
During their relationship, Dugad’s mother reportedly fell ill, and Isha not only provided medical care but also bore the expenses for the hospital treatment. Following his mother’s demise, Dugad allegedly took Isha on a trip to Kerala. It was during this trip that he allegedly coerced her into a physical relationship, assuring her of marriage. A similar incident is said to have taken place later at a hotel in Imamwada, Nagpur.
Sources have confirmed that the officer, currently posted in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar district and originally from Mal Yavat, has been absconding since the FIR was filed.
Police have launched a search operation, and further investigation is underway.