Thane man held for rape on false marriage promise

THANE: (May 8) A 40-year-old man from Maharashtras Thane district has been arrested for allegedly raping a housewife over nearly two years on the false promise of marriage and forcing her to undergo an abortion, an official said on Friday.

The action against accused Viren Hasmukh Patel, a resident of Kolsewadi in Kalyan, came on a complaint by a 27-year-old woman, originally hailing from Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in Kalyan.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the crime was committed between September 2024 and April 2026. Citing the complaint, a police official said that Patel allegedly lured the woman with the promise of marriage, claiming he would legally divorce his current wife.