Archive · 25 Jan 2026
Mumbai Police Crack 16-Year-Old Rape Case
A woman who is hearing and speech impaired was raped in 2009.
She was too scared to tell anyone for a long time.
Sixteen years later, she saw videos on a WhatsApp group that reminded her of what happened.
She told her husband, and together they went to the police.
The police had a hard time talking to her because she uses sign language, but a kind lady named Madhu Keni helped translate.
The police found the bad man, Mahesh Pawar, and arrested him.
The woman had to tell her story many times, which was very hard, but she was brave.
The police are still checking if there are other victims.
A 34-year-old hearing and speech-impaired woman reported a 2009 rape case to the Mumbai Police in December 2025.
The victim saw disturbing videos on a WhatsApp group that reminded her of her assault, prompting her to report the crime.
The police faced communication challenges but were assisted by a social worker fluent in sign language, Madhu Keni.
The accused, Mahesh Pawar, was arrested and admitted to the crime, which occurred in Mumbai's western suburbs.
The victim's detailed statement took nearly 10 hours to record due to the complexity of translating emotions and trauma.
- Who
- A 34-year-old hearing and speech-impaired woman and her assailant, Mahesh Pawar, aged 45.
- What
- A 16-year-old rape case was reported and subsequently investigated by the Mumbai Police.
- When
- The incident occurred in July 2009 and was reported in December 2025.
- Where
- The incident took place in Mumbai, India.
- Why
- The victim, after seeing disturbing videos on a WhatsApp group, gathered the courage to report the crime with the help of her husband and a social worker.
- Victim's Age
- 34 years old
- Accused's Age
- 45 years old
- Year of Incident
- 2009
- Year of Reporting
- 2025
- Location of Incident
- Mumbai, India
- Accused's Occupation
- Self-proclaimed social worker
- Interpreter's Name
- Madhu Keni
- Accused's Current Residence
- Virar, Mumbai