The Kolhapur police on Tuesday arrested another suspect in connection with the sexual exploitation and blackmail case registered at the Hatkanangale Police Station in Kolhapur district, officials said.
The arrested accused has been identified as Sharukh Hussain Desai, 30, of Shiroli Pulachi village in Hatkanangale tehsil. Police said he was allegedly an accomplice of the prime accused in the case.
Officials said another woman approached the police on Tuesday in connection with the case, and efforts are underway to counsel and encourage her to formally register a complaint.
According to the police, an FIR was initially registered at Rajarampuri Police Station on Sunday before the case was transferred to the Hatkanangale counterpart for further investigation.
Neelotpal, Superintendent of Police, Kolhapur, said, “We have arrested the prime accused and detained his friend who was helping him.”
The prime accused is identified as Shahid Sameer Sanade, 22, of Shiroli Pulachi village in Hatkanangale taluka. Police said he was a pharmacy diploma student and came into contact with the victim during her studies.
According to the complaint, the accused later reconnected with the woman while she was studying in Ichalkaranji in 2024. He allegedly manipulated her emotionally by threatening self-harm and later forced her into a physical relationship.
Following the registration of the case, tension was reported in parts of Kolhapur district. To maintain law and order, the superintendent of police ordered immediate action and formed a special team to trace and arrest the accused.
{{/usCountry}}Following the registration of the case, tension was reported in parts of Kolhapur district. To maintain law and order, the superintendent of police ordered immediate action and formed a special team to trace and arrest the accused.
{{/usCountry}}Sanade was arrested on April 26 and produced before a court, which remanded him to four days of police custody on April 27. Police have seized the mobile phone allegedly used in the crime and sent it for forensic analysis.
During interrogation, investigators identified Desai as another suspect who allegedly assisted the main accused. He was subsequently taken into custody.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the accused allegedly used social media platforms to befriend women before drawing them into emotional relationships. Police suspect that the women were later sexually assaulted, while objectionable videos were allegedly recorded and used to threaten and blackmail them.
Investigators suspect that several women may have been targeted using a similar pattern. The accused allegedly called victims to lodges in Shiroli and Kolhapur, where the assaults were carried out and filmed.
Police are probing whether the case involves a larger organised network, as the nature of the allegations points to the possible targeting of multiple victims. Investigators are examining reports that objectionable videos may have been circulated among associates of the accused.
The case has triggered protests in the district, with some right-wing organisations demanding stringent action and a wider probe. Memorandums have reportedly been submitted to senior police officials seeking the arrest of all alleged accomplices.
Authorities have appealed to other possible victims to come forward, assuring them of confidentiality and protection.
Given the sensitivity of the case, the investigation is being supervised by senior officers.