Mumbai cult, ‘a drugs and sex racket’, was a Facebook click away: Parents
Two sets of parents approached the Bombay high court alleging that Sunil Kulkarni had ‘trapped their daughters’ in a ‘sex and drugs’ racket. They claim youngsters can join the ‘cult’ simply by leaving their phone number on the Facebook page.
Hindustan Times/April 24, 2017
By Ayesha Arvind
Leave a phone number on Shifu Sunkriti Facebook page and join the “cult” – this is how easy it was for youngsters to get dragged into the alleged sex and drugs racket, according to a couple from Malad in Mumbai, who claim their adult daughters – aged 21 and 23 – have joined the group.
The woman’s parents approached the Bombay high court seeking help to get their daughters back and action against the mastermind, Sunil Kulkarni, 55, who allegedly lured youngsters into the racket. On Wednesday, two sets of parents approached the HC saying Kulkarni had “trapped their daughters”. Kulkarni was arrested on Thursday morning after the HC rapped the police for inaction.
After getting the number, Kulkarni used to call the youngsters and brief them about the “cult”.
Their plea states, the Facebook page contains provocative images and sexually explicit messages such as “Experience your naked body and naked emotions”, among others.
“After joining the group, youngsters are administered drugs, hypnotised, and made to have sex with Kulkarni and others,” the plea claims.
The plea states Kulkarni pretended to be a doctor and psychiatrist. The Malad couple claimed their daughters’ behavior “changed drastically after attending the activities of the cult”. “They left their studies and threatened to commit suicide when the parents thought of approaching the police. They even lodged a complaint against their parents, alleging domestic abuse and wrongful confinement,” states the plea.
The plea claims Kulkarni attracted girls in the “age group of 18-25 and captured their mind to such an extent they cannot possibly think beyond him.” “Kulkarni and the group made the girls do drugs and indulge in overtly sexual activities. Kulkarni has criminal antecedents and various cases registered against him both in Mumbai and Delhi,” the pleas states.
The state police so far argued the women were not minor and gave statements that they had joined the group out of their will.
The court, however, junked the argument saying the “group seemed like a cult and the girls were giving statements under the influence of drugs and Kulkarni’s counseling. Thus, such consent wasn’t valid.”