New Delhi: There is yet another eye awakening tale on sexual predators who use fake profiles on social networking sites to trap the teens. Recently, a cop and the victim herself unearthed a trail of evidence that revealed a man's use of social networking site Facebook to sexually abuse underage college students. A man (25) from Nalasopara has been arrested for raping and blackmailing two minor girls. He lured them by offering modelling jobs by contacting them via Facebook profile in which he showed himself as a woman. Sandeep Yadav, a resident of Santosh Bhuvan in Nalasopara (East), showed himself as `Pragya' on Facebook. He used to lure the girls by promising modelling assignments with good compensation. Eventually, if the females show interest in the profession,`Pragya', would get their personal details including financial background, and tell them to meet her 'boss' Sandeep.
With the set up of a photo shoot, the meeting would usually be set up at seaside resorts in Arnala or Kalam. The accused would offer them a drink with added sedatives and when they regained consciousness, they were shown video clips of sexual acts filmed on Sandeep's mobile.
He threatened them to make the clip viral if they did not pay him Rs 45,000 each.
However, a few weeks ago, the story got unfolded after a cop on patrol duty saw Sandeep publicly abusing a girl in Nalasopara.
The accused was taken to the police station but was allowed to go after questioning as the police did not have any proof against him.
Apparently, the girl revealed to the police that Sandeep had lured her friend on the pretext of a modelling offer and sexually abused her.
Police when crosschecked the story, it turned out to be true.
Now police decided to reveal the case themselves and they asked a friend of one of his 16-year-old victims to send Sandeep a friend request on his Facebook account.
'Pragya' accepted the friendship request and met the teen for a `portfolio shoot' on Tuesday, only to be arrested by the police, said the Palghar SP Sharda Raut.
The Vasai sessions court filed two cases of rape and one of molestation against him and was remanded to police custody. The SP said that all three girls came forward to cooperate for the probe and will be honored for their courage. They want the accused to be arrested.
Now, cops are further investigating the matter. Police has seized Sandeep's mobile phone and also discovered his previous cases of molestation as well against him and are still finding details of other girls on his friend list.
The accused has been charged under the IPC for rape, molestation, cheating, extortion and sections of the Information Technology Act.