Mumbai: Tears of a crocodile? accused persists in sexual harassment despite police promises

The accused, Vinayak Navnath Shivdas, who sexually harassed the victim

Despite spending a month in jail for molestation, abuse, and threats to virally share obscene images on social media, the accused, identified as Vinayak Navnath Shivdas (28), showed no signs of reform. Upon his release, he resumed harassing the same victim once again. In response to the escalating harassment, the victim, displaying remarkable patience, sought police intervention and filed the case on Tuesday.

Responding to her plea, the Bangur Nagar police registered another case against Shivdas under similar sections of the IPC for which he was previously arrested. Shivdas, residing in the Bhagat Singh Nagar area of Goregaon West, had fallen in love with a 23-year-old student residing in the same locality. She is also working alongside her academic pursuits.

"Shivdas proved to be incompatible with a lifelong commitment, prompting the girl to end their relationship and redirect her focus towards studies," said police sources. Following the breakup, Shivdas, remorseful for his past mistakes, sought reconciliation, but the girl firmly declined. In response, he turned hostile, harassing and pressuring her, even threatening to expose their intimate pictures to coerce her into restarting the relationship.

Despite counseling by the Bangur Nagar police, Shivdas persisted in his actions, creating a fake Instagram account to make the victim's photos go viral. Forced to take legal action, the girl filed a complaint leading to Shivdas's arrest in August. After a month in jail, he secured bail and, initially subdued, resumed contacting the girl, requesting a meeting.

The girl sought police assistance once again. Following counseling, Shivdas apologised and pledged not to trouble her further. However, he broke his promise, calling the girl last week and pressuring her for a meeting. When she refused, he resorted to defamation by posting her private photos on social media as DP.

Faced with this distressing situation once more, the girl turned to the police for help, and on the complaint of the victim, a new case was filed under various sections of the IPC and the IT Act. Under the guidance of DCP Ajaykumar Bansal, Senior Inspector Pramod Tavde, API Rahul Bhadarge, and PSI Rohan Patil took the initiative and arrested Shivdas on Wednesday. He was produced before the Borivali Metropolitan Magistrate court, and the court remanded him to police custody, as stated by the officer from the Bangur Nagar police.