Woman alleges rape at Nagpur hotel, accused demands Rs 1 lakh over video
A 39-year-old woman has accused a man of raping her at a Nagpur hotel, filming it, and demanding Rs 1 lakh to not make it viral.
The Airport Centre Point hotel on Wardha Road is once again at the centre of controversy, this time over allegations that a 39-year-old woman was raped, filmed without her consent, and then blackmailed for Rs 1 lakh using the video. Acting on the woman's complaint, Sonegaon police have registered a case against the accused, Umesh Singh Suryavanshi. He is reported to be absconding since the case came to light, and police are searching for him.
According to the police complaint, the victim is a resident of Wardha district and works in a government department. She came to know 40-year-old Umesh Singh Suryavanshi, a resident of Pipri Meghe, in 2023, and the two gradually became friends.
The complaint alleges that Suryavanshi lured the woman and called her from Wardha to Nagpur, taking her to the same Airport Centre Point hotel on Wardha Road. It is alleged that he raped her in a room at the hotel and filmed the act.
The woman said that after the incident, the accused began blackmailing her using the video, allegedly demanding Rs 1 lakh and threatening to make it viral on social media and defame her if she did not pay. Worn down by the repeated threats, she eventually approached the police and filed a complaint, on the basis of which Sonegaon police registered a case and began an investigation.
The Airport Centre Point hotel on Wardha Road has previously been a subject of controversy in the city, including earlier reports of police action over gambling at the premises. There have also been recurring claims about parties, spa and massage services and other activities at the hotel. However, whether any of these past issues have a direct connection to the current rape case will only become clear after the police investigation.
CCTV footage from the hotel, entry-exit records and other technical evidence could prove important in this case. If police examine footage from the time of the incident along with hotel records, several key facts could emerge, including the presence of the accused and the victim at the hotel and the exact timing of their movements.
There have also been various local claims about the Airport Centre Point over time, ranging from gambling to late-night parties, along with some allegations concerning the alleged misuse of the hotel's CCTV footage and blackmail. These claims have not been independently confirmed, and no connection to the current case has emerged.
Sonegaon police have registered a case on the woman's complaint and intensified the search for the accused, Umesh Singh Suryavanshi. Police said that after his arrest, he will be questioned to investigate the remaining facts related to the incident. The allegations of rape, filming an obscene video and demanding Rs 1 lakh can only be confirmed on the basis of the investigation and evidence gathered. The full picture of the case will emerge only once the police investigation is complete.
