The Utran police have registered a case against a gym owner for allegedly drugging and trying to molest a 33-year-old woman. The woman is the wife of a doctor living in the city. The accused also reportedly blackmailed her with personal photos.
According to the police, the woman developed a muscle cramp during a trekking trip with her family and friends. Following medical advice, she joined a gym in Mota Varachha. She had been working out there for over a year. After taking a break due to pregnancy, she returned to exercising in December 2022 at Oxygen Gym and Fitness Centre. The gym is owned by Sudhir Paghdal, the accused.
In May 2023, Paghdal sent the woman photos of her workouts on Instagram. He threatened to make the photos public unless she agreed to exercise privately with him. The woman stayed silent at first because she feared it would cause problems for her family. However, Paghdal kept harassing her through WhatsApp messages.
During Navratri in 2023, Paghdal invited her to collect garba passes. When she arrived, he gave her a cold drink that he had mixed with sedatives. He then tried to undress her and touch her inappropriately. The woman resisted and managed to leave the place safely.
She later told her husband about the incident. Her husband confronted Paghdal, but the harassment did not stop. On May 2, Paghdal made obscene remarks about the woman at a public event. After this, she decided to file a complaint with the police.
Paghdal has been charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. These include sexual harassment, attempted disrobing, administering sedatives with criminal intent, making obscene remarks in public, and criminal intimidation.
