A Nagpur medical store owner has alleged that a 26-year-old woman threatened to implicate him in rape, molestation and cheating cases unless his wife paid Rs 2.5 lakh. But the woman has also filed a counter-complaint against him, and police are now investigating both sides.

MAHARASHTRA: Nagpur police have registered a case against a 26-year-old woman for allegedly demanding Rs 2.5 lakh from the wife of a medical store owner and threatening to implicate her husband in serious criminal cases if the money was not paid.

According to the complaint filed by the 37-year-old medical store owner, he first met the woman at a gym on Godhani Road in Nagpur. They later came into regular contact after the woman started visiting his medical store.

The store owner alleged that the woman once asked him to provide sleeping pills. He refused to give her the medicines. He further claimed that she later demanded Rs 50,000 from him, but he refused to pay the amount.

As per police, the matter allegedly escalated when the woman contacted the store owner’s wife. She allegedly demanded Rs 2.5 lakh and threatened that if the money was not paid, her husband would be implicated in false cases of rape, molestation and cheating.

The complainant also alleged that the woman threatened to get his medical store shut down and have him assaulted by her brother.

The allegations raise a serious issue because even a threat of being implicated in grave sexual offences can put enormous pressure on the person concerned and his family. At the same time, these remain allegations made by the complainant and have not yet been proved.

There is also another side to the dispute. The 26-year-old woman has filed a counter-complaint against the medical store owner. She has alleged that the man made an obscene offer to her.

Police have registered a case on the basis of her complaint as well. Therefore, there are complaints from both sides, and the allegations of neither party can be treated as established facts at this stage.

Mankapur police are investigating both versions to determine what actually happened between the two parties and whether the allegations made in the respective complaints are supported by evidence.

No arrest has been made so far.

The case will now depend on the evidence collected during the investigation, including the circumstances surrounding the alleged monetary demand, communications between the parties and the allegations raised in the counter-complaint.

EXPLANATORY TABLE OF LAWS & SECTIONS

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• False-case threats are not “small threats” — for men, they can mean instant social conviction before legal scrutiny.
• Rape and molestation laws cannot become bargaining weapons for money, revenge or personal pressure.
• The accused man also has dignity and reputation — allegations are not proof, irrespective of gender.
• Police must investigate both complaints objectively instead of treating one version as automatically superior.
• If extortion through fear of false cases is proved, it deserves serious consequences — misuse of protective laws ultimately damages genuine victims too.