Mumbai, September 10: On Sunday, September 7, the Mumbai Police arrested a 48-year-old man for allegedly sexually assaulting a married woman from Gujarat. The accused raped and extorted the woman after threatening to circulate her obscene photos. The victim (32), a resident of Rajkot, met the accused last year while she was looking for a job. The accused has been identified as Apollon Fernandes, a resident of Santacruz.

It is reported that the two became friends after the accused promised to help the victim secure employment. Over the course of time, the two got into an affair. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the accused started blackmailing the woman when she wanted to part ways. Police officials said that the victim met the accused in 2024 when she was on the lookout for a job. Palghar Horror: Denied Sex, Man Rapes Minor Fiancee, Then Strangles Her to Death Near Mumbai; Accused Arrested.

A police official said that Fernandes befriended the victim by promising her a job after coming across her biodata on an online job-securing platform. Post this, the two stayed in touch and started dating over time. In her complaint, the woman said that she often visited Mumbai to meet Fernandes at a hotel in Santacruz. An officer said that during one of the trips, the duo had consensual sex, during which Fernandes clicked her photos.

"After a few days, when she wanted to part ways with him, he blackmailed her with the pictures and forced her to have sex with him. He threatened to post her obscene photos on social media and also send them to her husband," the police officer added. It is also reported that the accused extorted money from the victim. Fed up with the physical and financial exploitation, the woman approached the police on Friday, September 5. Sex Racket Busted in Malad: Mumbai Police Bust Prostitution Ring Disguised As Spa; 2 Arrested, 4 Women Rescued.

Acting on her complaint, the police arrested the accused on Sunday, September 7. The next day, Fernandes was produced before a court ,which remanded him in police custody.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 10, 2025 12:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).