Mumbai man arrested for drugging and raping minors
Mumbai Police have arrested Mahesh Ramesh Pawar, 45, for allegedly drugging and raping several minor girls.
Police say he mixed sedatives into soft drinks to incapacitate his victims, then assaulted them.
He's also accused of filming the assaults and using the videos to blackmail and further exploit the girls.
Officers believe he may have targeted up to 10 minors.
How police caught him—and what's next
The case broke when a victim spotted a rape video in a WhatsApp group for persons with disabilities and recognized Pawar.
Using mobile data, police tracked him down and arrested him in Virar within hours of the complaint being registered on December 13.
Investigators found evidence linking him to similar incidents reported elsewhere in Mumbai.
The search for additional victims is ongoing as police review records and coordinate with other stations.