37-year-old Italian national accuses 'tour guide' in Mumbai of raping her in cab in Juhu; probe underway

Mumbai: A 37-year-old Italian national has accused a man, who claimed to be a tour guide, of raping her in a cab in Mumbai’s Juhu area on 14 June, senior police said on Sunday.

Police said that the victim, in her complaint filed on Friday, has 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 14 June. He introduced himself as a tour guide and the victim hired his services,” said an official.

After the bus tour ended at around 7 pm in Juhu that day, the accused offered to show the victim the bungalow of film superstar Amitabh Bachchan 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 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.

“A rape case has been filed and police teams are on the lookout for the accused. Further investigations are underway,” said a Juhu police official.

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