Mumbai tourist guide held for raping Italian woman in a cab

Mumbai: Mumbai Police on Monday arrested a 27-year-old tourist guide for allegedly raping an Italian woman in a cab in suburban Juhu in June. The accused, identified as Rakesh Nandi, was picked up from south Mumbai tonight, two days after the woman filed a complaint with the police, a senior crime branch official said, adding that further investigation is underway.

He said Nandi used to work as a tourist guide.

Police said the victim had stated that on the day of the incident, she had boarded a bus as part of a sightseeing tour of Mumbai.

"She met the accused during the bus tour on June 14. He introduced himself as a tour guide and the victim hired his services," an official said on Sunday.

After the bus tour ended at around 7pm in Juhu that day, the accused offered to show the victim the bungalow of a film superstar which is also in the vicinity, police said.

"He then promised to drop her to the Colaba hotel where she was staying. A cab was booked by the accused and the complainant has told us that he stopped the vehicle nearby to purchase liquor," the official said.

"She has said that the accused forced her to consume alcohol and also touched her inappropriately. He then raped her in the moving car," the official informed.

Police said that the victim approached the Italian Embassy which asked her to register a case with the local police.

Based on her complaint, a 'Zero FIR' was lodged at Colaba police station which was then transferred to Juhu police station where the incident allegedly occurred.

The victim had come to India in December last year and she arrived in Mumbai on June 11.