Man running charitable institution in Mumbai rapes Brazilian student; arrested

Mumbai: A 52-year-old man running a charitable institution in Mumbai allegedly raped a Brazilian woman who came here to study as part of a youth exchange programme, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, Padmakar Nandekar, has been arrested for the alleged incident that took place last month but came to light on Monday when the 19-year-old woman filed a rape complaint against him, a police official said.

The woman came to India a few months back and was staying here with Nandekar, who runs a charitable organisation and is also chairman of a residents' association in Cuffe Parade area of south Mumbai, he said.

According to the woman, on April 15, Nandekar invited her for dinner at a hotel, where he allegedly spiked her drink following which she felt dizzy and went to a room there with him, the official said.

Next morning, the woman realised she was allegedly raped and then went to stay at her local guardian's place in suburban Bandra without revealing the incident to anyone, he said. She informed her guardian about the incident recently following which both of them went to the Cuffe Parade police station on Monday and lodged the complaint, the official said.

Nandekar was subsequently arrested from his residence on Monday night and booked under relevant Indian Penal Code sections for rape, he said.

He was produced before a local court on Tuesday, which remanded him in police custody till May 24, he said, adding a probe was underway in the case.