‘His cousin tried to sexually assault me’: Skeletons tumble out as more allegations emerge against gym trainer arrested for rape

NAVI MUMBAI: A 22-year-old gym trainer has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage, with the complainant claiming that his mobile phone contains obscene videos of over 80 women that were allegedly sold on pornographic websites.Two women have approached the police so far, and investigators are examining the accused’s phone to verify the allegations.Woman alleges rape, assault and pressure to convertOn Monday night, a 23-year-old woman approached Nalasopara police, alleging that Arif Shaikh repeatedly raped her in 2025 on the pretext of marriage.She also accused him and his mother, Ruksana, of pressuring her to convert her religion and assaulting her. His cousin, Sohail, allegedly attempted to sexually assault her.The complainant claimed that she later found videos on Shaikh’s mobile phone showing him engaging in sexual acts with several women.She subsequently approached local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) functionaries for assistance before lodging a complaint with the police.Police probe claim of videos involving 80 womenAccording to the complainant, Shaikh used Instagram to target Hindu women, establish relationships with them and record intimate videos without their knowledge or consent.She alleged that he had trapped 70 to 80 women in a similar manner and sold their videos on pornographic websites.Police are examining the videos allegedly recovered from his mobile phone and investigating whether other women were also targeted.“We have received a complaint from one woman and registered a case accordingly. Some obscene videos of women have been found on the mobile phone, and we are investigating the matter from that angle,” said Vishal Valvi, senior police inspector at Nalasopara police station. He added that the allegations made by the complainant were being verified.Somaiya demands thorough investigationBJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who visited the police station on Tuesday evening, demanded a thorough investigation. He claimed that Shaikh had allegedly deceived several women and recorded obscene videos of them.“We have submitted two dozen videos to the police as evidence,” Somaiya said.Local MNS leaders have also demanded a detailed investigation into the allegations. Sanjeev Mehra, a local MNS functionary, said the matter needed to be investigated in detail, particularly in view of the alleged videos involving several women.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III) Shashikant Borade said the accused’s mobile phone had been sent for forensic analysis to verify the videos and the complainant’s allegations. A detailed investigation is underway.Earlier complaint over remarks during NavratriThe case comes days after a complaint was registered against Shaikh on Saturday for allegedly making objectionable remarks about girls during Navratri.Police have registered a case against Shaikh, his mother Ruksana and his cousin Sohail Shaikh under relevant provisions relating to rape, wrongful confinement, assault and other offences. Further investigation is underway.Stay updated with the latest Navi Mumbai news. Download the TOI App.