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Husband-wife duo held for blackmail

MUMBAI: Three persons, including a married couple, were arrested for blackmailing a muni (priest) with an alleged video of him having sex with a woman.

The trio was identified as Gitesh More, Saroj Mhatre and her husband, Umesh. "The couple had told Dharmaguru Raiwastari Maharaj that they possessed video clippings of him in compromising positions and demanded money to hush up the matter. We have arrested three people for extortion and are probing the matter," said Shamsher Pathan, senior inspector of Pydhonie police.


Saroj (42) said that she had been in a physical relationship with the priest at the Aadeshwar Jain temple at Tambakata on Kalbadevi road for the past couple of years. She alleged that the priest had forced her to bring a new woman for him and instructed her to watch while he had sex with the other woman. "The priest told me that if I watch him having sex, it will give me 'mukti'. I stayed in the room and discreetly shot a video of it on my mobile camera," Saroj allegedly told the police. The police have seized Saroj's cellphone and sent it for forensic analysis. The report is expected next week.


An officer said that Saroj's husband is an alcoholic and is unemployed. Their son is studying in an engineering college in Mumbai.


Dr Vinod Bhawarlal Kothari, a disciple of the Dharamguru, who filed the complaint, said the allegations were false. "Saroj was crying in front of the followers and asked the priest to help her because her husband used to beat her. She was given monetary help but refused to repay the money. Her husband has a criminal background and they cooked up this story," said Kothari.


The couple initially demanded Rs 20 lakh but settled for Rs 25,000. "The couple asked More to pick up the money while they watched from a taxi. We arrested More first and then brought them in," said an officer.


The Pydhonie police recently arrested three people, including a married couple, for attempting to blackmail a muni (priest). They allegedly threatened the priest that they possessed video clippings showing him having sex with a woman.


with a video they allegedly shot of him having sex with a woman.


The Pydhonie police arrested three people including a husband-wife duo for blackmailing a muni (priest) after they allegedly shot a video of him having sex with a woman. The priest, however, has denied the allegations.


Those arrested include Gitesh More, Saroj Mhatre and her husband Umesh. "The couple had been blackmailing the Dharamguru for money. "They threatened the Dharamguru, Raiwastari Maharaj, that they possess his video clippings in objectionable manner and may float it in the market. The couple then demanded money from the priest to hush up the matter. We have arrested three persons for extortion and threat and are probing the matter," said Shamsher Pathan, senior inspector of the Pydhonie police.


It is learnt that Saroj (42) was Jain before she converted to Hindu for marrying Mhatre around two decades ago. "Her husband is drunkard and unemployed," said an officer. Their teenaged son is studying engineering in a reputed city college and stays at their Dongri house. The arrested woman alleged that she was in a physical relationship with the priest for the last couple of years. The woman is believed to have told the police that the priest forced her to bring a new girl for him. Saroj came in touch with another woman and took her to Walkeshwar where the pirest had called them. Sources said that the priest asked Saroj to stay back in the room while allegedly having sex with another woman. "The priest told me if I see him making love, it will give me mukti. I stayed in the room and discreetly shot a video clippings of it in my mobile camera," Saroj is believed to have told the police. The police have seized Saroj's mobile phone and sent it for forensic analysis. The report is expected in the next week.


The couple, said police, had initially demanded Rs 20 lakh from Dharamguru of Aadeshwar Jain temple at Tambakata on Kalbadevi road. After negotiation the amount was settled Rs 25,000. "The couple then sent More to collect the money and watched it from a taxi. First we caught More and later the couple was also brought in," said an officer. "There are some severe allegations. We are looking into them," said a police officer.


Dr Vinod Bhawarlal Kothari, a disciple of the Dharamguru, who had filed the police complaint, said all the allegations were false. "She was crying in front of all the followers and asked the priest help him since her husband beat him up. She wanted money for help. She was provided monetary help but refused to repay the money. Her husband has criminal background and they cooked up this story," said Kothari.


The accused were arrested and later released on bail.

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