Chhattisgarh woman reports assault, deception by Facebook friend in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A 27-year-old woman from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has accused a man she met on Facebook of sexual assault and deception.

The accused, identified as Swami Bandaram, is a resident of Warangal.

He was arrested at the international airport when he was about to escape to Australia by a flight via Sri Lanka, police.

According to the police, the two became friends on Facebook, where Swami Bandaram professed his love for her and proposed marriage. He allegedly threatened to harm himself if she refused his advances.

Over time, the woman began to trust him and Swami Bandaram invited her to Hyderabad, promising to introduce her to his family, including his parents. He also claimed that his father’s health was poor.

On July 2, the woman travelled from Raipur to Hyderabad by bus, arriving around noon. Swami Bandaram picked her up and took her to a hotel near Sarojini Devi Road, explaining that she should rest before meeting his family, as their home was far away.

Later that evening, they went out for dinner. Upon returning to the hotel, the woman, exhausted from her journey, fell asleep. Swami Bandaram woke her up and insisted she drink a juice he offered. When she refused, he became angry, leading her to reluctantly drink it. She began dizzy after that and that Swami Bandaram took advantage of her situation by forcing himself on her.

The victim claimed that the following morning, Swami Bandaram again coerced her into a physical relationship, insisting that he intended to marry her. After a night of unwanted advances, she asked him to take her to meet his family. Swami Bandaram reportedly responded that his family had left town and wouldn’t return for 8 to 10 days.

Realising she had been deceived, the woman confronted him, accusing him of wrongdoing. In response, Swami Bandaram allegedly became violent and sent her back to Raipur by bus, telling her he no longer intended to marry her and was planning to move to Australia to start a new life.

The victim filed a complaint against Swami Bandaram, accusing him of maliciously engaging in a physical relationship under the pretext of marriage and subsequently refusing to fulfil his promises.

A zero FIR was registered at the Vidhan Sabha Police Station in Raipur and transferred to the Mahankali Police Station in Hyderabad, which has jurisdiction over the alleged crime.

Mahankali police registered a case and are currently investigating the case.