Pune police have registered a rape case against Praful Lodha, a native of Jalgaon who is already in custody in Mumbai for allegedly sexually abusing two minor girls and raping a woman under the pretext of offering jobs, officials said on Tuesday.
According to police, a 23-year-old woman has come forward alleging that Lodha called her to a hotel in May, promised to help secure employment for her husband, and then coerced her into sexual acts in exchange, according to news agency PTI.
“But when the woman refused, he allegedly threatened her and raped her,” an official from Bavdhan police station at Pimpri Chinchwad in Pune district said, reported news agency PTI.
A case was registered against Lodha on July 17 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for rape and criminal intimidation and further probe was on, the official said.
Lodha (62), who hails from Jalgaon in Maharashtra, is said to have a close association with some politicians.
The Mumbai police earlier this month arrested him for allegedly sexually abusing two 16-year-old girls and raping a woman on the pretext of giving them jobs, an official said on Monday.
Following his arrest, the police searched Lodha`s properties in Jalgaon, Jamner, and Pahur and seized a laptop, pen drive and some electronic items, he said.
The accused has been booked by the Mumbai police under relevant provisions of the BNS and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, as per the news agency PTI.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday pointed to a photograph of Maharashtra BJP minister Girish Mahajan with Lodha.
Later, Mahajan claimed Lodha had photos with leaders across party lines, including NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, party MLA Jayant Patil, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule.
The BJP leader maintained that being seen in a photograph with someone does not imply involvement in any wrongdoing and accused Raut of making irresponsible statements without evidence.
62-year-old man held for sexually abusing two teenage girls; raping woman
In a similar horrifying incident, Mumbai Police arrested a 62-year-old man for allegedly sexually abusing two 16-year-old girls and raping a woman on the pretext of giving them jobs, an official said on Monday, reported the PTI.
Two cases have been registered against the accused at the Sakinaka and MIDC police stations, the official said.
The suspect, who was arrested in the Chakala area on July 5, is a close aide of a BJP leader, it was stated, as per the PTI.
According to the police, the accused allegedly sexually abused a 16-year-old girl and her friend on the pretext of getting them a job. He held the girls captive in his house in Chakala, where he tortured and took objectionable pictures of them, according to the PTI.
He also allegedly raped a woman in Andheri using the same ruse, the official said, adding that both offences took place this month.
Following his arrest, the police searched Lodha`s properties in Jalgaon, Jamner, and Pahur and seized a laptop, pen drive and some electronic items, he said.
The accused has been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
(With PTI inputs)