Mumbai: Sales executive rapes, blackmails client's wife, arrested

MUMBAI: A sales executive at a car dealership, who allegedly raped his client's wife and then started threatening and blackmailing her, was arrested on Tuesday. Shivaji Park police arrested Mahim resident, Shyam Abhimanyu Maske, under the IPC sections for rape, threat, blackmail and also under the Information Technology Act. He has been remanded in police custody.
Police said Maske works as a sales executive for a car dealership in Chembur.In August 2018, Maske met the victim and befriended her. The victim's husband runs a second hand car agency.
"Maske and the victim met to discuss some business deal. He then went to drop the victim to her residence in Central Mumbai and caught her unawares by kissing her. The victim has said that she ignored it, but he later called her for an outing and took her to a hotel where he spiked her drink and raped her," said an officer.
Police said the accused had filmed the act without the victim's knowledge. A few days later, the accused went to meet her at Joggers Park in Bandra. He offered the victim some gifts and asked her to go out with him for a drink. When the victim refused, Maske allegedly showed her the video and threatened to send it to her husband. The victim has told police she got scared and relented. Maske allegedly repeatedly raped the victim by blackmailing and threatening her.
"Humiliated and traumatised, the victim attempted suicide thrice. The second time she tried to end her life, Maske went to the hospital and promised to delete the video," said the officer.
However, in July, Maske again started harassing the woman. She then confided in her husband and lodged a police complaint. Maske was arrested from his Mahim residence. Police seized his mobile phone and found the photographs and video he had been using to blackmail her.