Pune police have filed a fresh rape case against Praful Lodha, a 62-year-old Jalgaon native already arrested in Mumbai for sexually abusing two minor girls and raping another woman under the guise of job offers. The latest complaint, lodged on July 17 at Bavdhan police station, alleges that Lodha lured a 23-year-old woman to a Pune hotel in May, promising employment for her husband. When she refused his demand for sexual favors, he allegedly threatened and raped her.

The case is registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for rape and criminal intimidation, with investigations ongoing. Mumbai police earlier arrested Lodha, seizing a laptop, pen drive, and electronic items from his properties in Jalgaon, Jamner, and Pahur. He faces charges under BNS and the POCSO Act for the Mumbai offenses.

The case has sparked political controversy, with Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut highlighting Lodha’s photo with Maharashtra BJP minister Girish Mahajan. Mahajan countered, noting Lodha’s pictures with leaders like Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, and Supriya Sule, dismissing Raut’s claims as baseless and emphasizing that photographs do not imply guilt. Police are intensifying efforts to uncover the full extent of Lodha’s actions.

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