MUMBAI: A 48-year-old karate teacher, who trained members of the Mumbai Police’s all-women Nirbhaya Squad, has been arrested by the Kurla police for allegedly raping a former student over a 20-year period under the pretext of marriage.
Navale remains in police custody as investigations continue. The 36-year-old complainant, who now works for an Information Technology firm, first met Navale in 2006 while participating in a National Cadet Corps (NCC) self-defence course at a college in King’s Circle, Matunga, according to the police. Over the next two decades—from 2006 to 2026—he continued to sexually assault her at various locations across Kurla and Navi Mumbai, repeatedly promising to marry her while allegedly capturing illicit photos and videos. The Kurla police picked up Navale on Thursday and registered a case against him under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which penalises sexual intercourse obtained through deceitful means or false promises of marriage without the intention of fulfilling them. The woman alleged that she was first raped when she was 17 years old and initially met Navale when she was 16, demanding that charges be framed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
Because the Pocso Act only came into force in 2012, police stated they are currently examining the legalities before determining whether to add charges under the legislation, however,.
Navale, who was hired to instruct the students, allegedly told her that although he was married, his wife was unfaithful and he intended to separate soon. Officers said Navale subsequently took the complainant to a lodging facility in Gorai, where he sexually assaulted her and threatened her against speaking out.
“When the complainant recently decided to distance herself from him, he began blackmailing her, threatening to leak the photos and videos,” a police officer said, adding that Navale had also extorted money from the victim and warned her that he would “see her” if she approached the authorities.
