Mumbai Court Rejects Anticipatory Bail for Accused in USA Groom Blackmail Case

In a significant development in the blackmail case involving a U.S.-based groom and his fiancée’s family, the Dindoshi Sessions Court in Mumbai has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Pratik Gaikwad, one of the accused in the high-profile case. Pratik, who has been evading the authorities, is facing serious charges of blackmailing Milind Borkar, an Indian-origin man residing in the U.S., who had come to India to marry Pratik’s sister, Pallavi Gaikwad.

The case dates back to 2019 when Milind Borkar, a professional working in the United States since 2007, traveled to India to marry Pallavi, a woman he met through a matrimonial website. The two got engaged in June of the same year. However, shortly before the wedding, Milind stumbled upon compromising photos and videos of Pallavi with other men on her mobile phone. This discovery led him to call off the engagement.

Following this, Pallavi, along with her family, allegedly began blackmailing Milind. They reportedly demanded ₹25 lakht from him or, alternatively, insisted that he marry Pallavi for six months before getting a divorce. The family threatened to falsely implicate Milind in legal cases and ruin his career if he refused to comply with their demands.

Pallavi, in a bid to retaliate, lodged a complaint against Milind in Pimpri, Pune, accusing him of defaming her. She falsely claimed that they were married and further informed Milind’s employer and U.S. immigration authorities that an FIR had been registered against him. This move was intended to prevent Milind from remarrying in the U.S. However, the investigation into the complaint revealed that the accusations were fabricated, leading to the suspension of two police officers who were involved in filing the false FIR against Milind.

In response to Pallavi’s actions, Milind initiated legal proceedings in both India and the U.S. He submitted a range of evidence, including explicit photos, videos, WhatsApp messages, and recorded phone calls between Pallavi and other men. Based on this evidence, the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Mumbai ordered the Versova Police to register a case against Pallavi Gaikwad, her brother Pratik Gaikwad, their father Chandrakant Gaikwad, and one Sanjeev Sonawane. They were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sections 389 (extortion), 385 (putting a person in fear of injury to commit extortion), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

Despite being summoned to court, the Gaikwads failed to appear, leading the Andheri court to issue arrest warrants against them. Following this, Pratik and the other accused filed an anticipatory bail application in the Dindoshi Sessions Court. During the hearing, Milind’s lawyer, Sanjay Shukla, opposed the bail application and demanded that the mobile phones of Pratik and Pallavi be submitted for forensic examination. Shukla argued that the data on these phones could provide crucial evidence of blackmail and expose the extent of Pratik’s involvement in the case.

Pratik is suspected of avoiding court appearances to prevent the phones from being examined, fearing that incriminating information would come to light. Considering the circumstances and the arguments presented by the prosecution, the Sessions Court rejected Pratik’s anticipatory bail plea.

While Pallavi and two other accused have managed to secure bail, Pratik remains at large. The police have intensified their efforts to locate him, and the investigation continues. Attempts to reach Pratik and Pallavi for their statements have been unsuccessful, as they have remained out of contact.