Pimpri-Chinchwad police take Praful Lodha into custody in rape case

According to the Pimpri-Chinchwad police, a woman from Kothrud approached Bavdhan police on July 17 and lodged a complaint alleging that Lodha had called her to a hotel in Balewadi under the pretext of helping her husband secure a job.

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad police on Friday took custody of Praful Lodha, who has been accused in a rape case.

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According to the Pimpri-Chinchwad police, a woman from Kothrud approached Bavdhan police on July 17 and lodged a complaint alleging that Lodha had called her to a hotel in Balewadi under the pretext of helping her husband secure a job. There, he allegedly raped her and threatened her with dire consequences if she spoke about the incident.

Lodha, who was earlier lodged at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai for allegedly sexually abusing two minor girls, was formally handed over to the Pimpri-Chinchwad police team for investigation, said officials.

Anil Vibhute, senior police inspector at Bavdhan station, said, “On Friday, we took his custody and after completion of the procedure, he was produced in the local court. The court has granted him police custody till August 25.”

“The complaint was registered at Bavdhan police station. The woman has accused Lodha of sexual assault and criminal intimidation,” a Bavdhan police officer confirmed.

Earlier last month, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had alleged that four ministers of Maharashtra’s Mahayuti government were involved in honey traps and sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.