Pune: In a disturbing case of extortion and harassment, two men were arrested for extorting money from a local Ayurvedic treatment center after recording videos of women workers without their consent and threatening to make the footage viral on social media.
The incident took place on February 3, 2025, at Tejashree Ayurvedic Treatment Center, located in Punainagar Classic Heights, Dhanwakadi, Pune. Around 1:00 PM, two men, later identified as Rohit Waghmare and his associates, visited the center claiming to seek treatment. During the session, Waghmare reportedly threatened one of the female workers, claiming to be the president of a political party, and demanded that she follow his instructions. He allegedly threatened to shut down the Ayurvedic center if she did not comply.
Later, two to three more individuals joined Waghmare and demanded ₹20,000, threatening to release a video of the treatment on social media unless the money was paid. Due to financial limitations, the victims could not meet the demand. On March 6, 2025, the matter was officially reported to Sahakarnagar Police Station, and a case was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including extortion and harassment.
Under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector Rahul Gaud, the Sahakarnagar Police successfully apprehended the accused: Rohit Waghmare, Shubham Changdev Dhanwate, and Rahul Dnyaneshwar Waghmare. Investigations revealed that the accused had been involved in similar crimes across multiple locations in Pune. As a result, the court granted police custody of the accused until March 12, 2025.
Further inquiries revealed that Rohit Waghmare was already involved in pending cases related to criminal activities at Warje Police Station, including sections 507/2021 and 354, and additional cases were filed against him and Dhanwate at Ambhora Police Station, Beed, and Pathardi Police Station, Ahmednagar.
The swift action of the police team, led by Additional Commissioner of Police Pravin Kumar Patil and Deputy Commissioner of Police Smartana Patil, was key in the successful arrests. Senior Police Inspector Rahul Gaud and the Sahakarnagar Police Station investigation team are continuing to investigate whether the accused have been involved in other similar incidents.
The authorities are urging the public to report any further such activities and ensure that justice is served for all victims.
