21-year-old engineering student arrested on charge of sexually exploiting collegemate in Nashik

Nashik: The Panchavati police in Nashik have arrested a 21‑year‑old engineering student for allegedly sexually exploiting a fellow student by threatening to circulate her private photographs on social media. The accused has been remanded in police custody till April 22, as per a Nashik court order.Inspector Gajendra Patil, of the Panchavati police station, said, as per the complainant, the exploitation took place between June 2024 and Jan. 2026. "During this time, the youth allegedly assaulted the complainant at five different locations, including a lodge, their college premises, a garden and private establishments," Patil said. The inspector said the accused initially befriended the woman and later began blackmailing her using photographs taken in a compromising position.According to the complaint, the accused repeatedly threatened to upload her photos online if she did not submit to his demands for a physical relationship. The survivor also alleged that she was forced to smoke cigarettes and, in Jan this year, was made to consume alcohol. She stated that when she was left incapacitated, the accused raped her.The police said the harassment intensified over the past few months, prompting the woman to approach the police. An FIR was registered late on Friday night, following which the accused was arrested immediately.The case has been registered under BNS sections 64 (rape), 115(2) (causing hurt) and 51(2) (criminal intimidation), along with section 66E of the Information Technology Act for non‑consensual capturing or sharing of private images.