Pune: Doctor arrested for sexually assaulting woman patient, taking away her gold chain

Pune: A doctor has been arrested for sexually assaulting his female patient at his clinic and elsewhere. He won her confidence and later forcefully established sexual relations with her.

A case was registered at the Patas Police Station after the victim lodged a complaint. Later, the doctor was arrested.

The accused has been identified as Dr Sunil Namdev Zende, hailing from Dive in Purandar taluka and a resident of Varvand in Daund taluka. According to the police, Dr Zende has his Dhanvantari Acupressure Centre and Ayurvedic Clinic at Varvand. The victim visited his clinic on August 21, 2024 seeking treatment. She had a lump in her back. The accused befriended her and embraced her during a check-up. She resisted his attempt and warned him that she would tell her family members about his behaviour.

But he persisted and told her that he liked her and wanted to take her along on a long drive. She rejected his overtures. However, the accused forced her to go with him to another room and sexually assaulted her. He threatened to defame her if she revealed it to anyone.

Later, he took her to various places and sexually assaulted her till November 19, 2024. He threatened her and demanded her gold chain. She handed over her 2.5-tola gold chain to him without consulting her family. She demanded her gold chain back but he refused to return it to her. He often threatened her that he would reveal their relationship to her family. If she wanted her gold chain back then she would have to sleep with him, stated the complaint.

The victim lodged the complaint at the Patas Police Chowky. On Tuesday (December 10), the police registered a rape offence against the doctor and arrested him. He was remanded to police custody by the Daund Court till December 16. PSI Salim Shaikh was investigating the case.