Mumbai: Woman raped by Facebook ‘friend’ at 5-star hotel in Bandra

The woman was invited to the man’s room where the crime took place. She said she had a glass of water after which she felt dizzy, and was raped in a semi-conscious state. (AP File Photo)

Mumbai, Apr 14: Police are in the lookout for a Gujarat-based businessman, who they claim raped a 40-year-old housewife in a room of a 5-star hotel at Bandra.

The police said the businessman befriended the woman three years ago on a social networking site, following which the two exchanged numbers and would talk on the phone on a regular basis.

A police officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “The accused sent her a friend request three years ago. The two then usually chatted on Whatsapp and over the phone.”

The police said the man arrived in the city on Friday and asked the woman to meet him. He then took her to his room in a 5-star hotel on the pretext of having a coffee, the police said.

“Earlier in the day, the 40-year-old woman was in Alibaug with her family to spend the weekend in their farmhouse. After the accused called her, the woman left for Mumbai and had planned to go back to Alibaug again after meeting him,” said the officer.

“She met the accused at Gateway of India. He then took a cab for Bandra on the pretext of taking her for a coffee to a posh 5-star hotel, where his room was booked,” said the officer.

The police said after going to his room, the accused initially offered her water. The woman claims she began to feel dizzy after drinking the water and was raped in a semi-conscious state, the police said.

After she regained consciousness, she went back to Alibaug and narrated the incident to her husband.

“The woman’s husband called and confronted the businessman. The accused, who was suppose to stay for one more night, left the hotel on the same day and his phone has been switched off since then,” said the officer.

The woman then went to the police station along with her husband and registered a rape case. The police have booked him under relevant sections of rape and spiking her drink.

Source: Hindustan Times