According to police, the incident took place in the early hours of May 11. The woman, who lives with her family in an outer Delhi slum cluster, stated that she was returning home after assisting her brother when she boarded a private sleeper bus near the Saraswati Vihar bus stand.

In her statement to police and before a magistrate, she alleged that there were three men inside the bus when she boarded. One of them later got off, while the remaining two allegedly drove the bus towards a secluded location in Nangloi, several kilometres away from where she had entered the vehicle.

The woman accused the two men of sexually assaulting her inside the bus. The accused, however, have claimed that the matter stemmed from a monetary dispute, a claim that investigators say is currently being verified.

The two accused have been identified as Umesh and Ramendra, both originally from Uttar Pradesh and working as bus operators in Delhi for several years.

Police officials said an argument allegedly broke out over money before the woman contacted the police using one of the accused’s mobile phones. Officers later reached the spot and detained both men.

An FIR has been registered under sections related to rape, gang rape, and common intention under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.

Investigators are currently examining CCTV footage, the route taken by the bus, and forensic evidence collected from the vehicle. The woman’s statement has also been formally recorded before a magistrate.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women has sought strict action in the case as the investigation continues.