Kanpur (UP): An Army colonel has been arrested here Tuesday. He has been accused of raping his civilian friend’s wife of Russian origin after intoxicating her husband. The incident happened at the Officers’ Mess in Cantonment area of this city. “Col Neeraj Gahlot was arrested while trying to flee to an unknown place to evade his arrest. However, the Army colonel was nabbed,” informed SP (East) Raj Kumar Agarwal.
Police had launched a manhunt for Col Gahlot whose mobile location was traced in the vicinity of officers’ mess Monday evening. However, he had been evading his arrest, said Cantonment Circle’ Additional SP Nikhil Pathak.
A team headed by Chakeri police station’s SHO Ravi Srivastava was dispatched to nab the absconding officer. But his room was found locked from outside, the ASP said. The colonel posted here was booked Sunday for allegedly raping his friend’s wife.
The victim’s husband had lodged an FIR against the Army officer at the Cantonment police station, SP Agarwal had said earlier. According to the complainant, his wife is of Russian descent. She has been living in India for 10 years.
The accused allegedly had invited his civilian friend to the Officer’s Mess. Then the Army officer mixed intoxicants in his friend’s drink. It made him unconscious and Ghelot took the opportunity to rape his wife, informed police. The accused also allegedly assaulted the woman when she put up a resistance, they added.
After raping the woman, the colonel took leave from his bosses and went underground to evade arrest. The rape survivor was subsequently produced before a judicial magistrate who recorded her statement under section 164 of the CrPC, said Pathak. He added that the statement, however, is yet to be shown to the police.
