Maharashtra: Football Coach Arrested for Sexually Exploiting Minor for Three Years 

Palghar district, Maharashtra: A football coach has been arrested by the police in the Palghar district of Maharashtra for allegedly sexually abusing and exploiting a 17-year-old female trainee over a period of three years under the pretext of building her sports career. 

The accused has been identified as Abhijit Mendal. According to the investigation, Mendal took advantage of his position as a coach to gain the minor’s trust, promising her a successful career in professional football. Using this leverage, he subjected her to continuous sexual assault over three years. 

Furthermore, the accused recorded illicit videos and captured photographs of the victim during these acts. He used this recorded material to repeatedly blackmail and threaten her, ensuring her silence and forcing compliance. The systemic exploitation came to light when the minor finally confided in her family, leading to a formal police complaint and the coach’s subsequent arrest. 

Legal Significance 

This case highlights the gross abuse of authority within sports training environments and falls under severe criminal statutes aimed at protecting children and tackling digital extortion. The prosecution will rely heavily on the following legal frameworks: 

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012: Because the exploitation began when the victim was a minor and continued into her mid-teens, stringent provisions of the POCSO Act will apply. Specifically, charges under Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault are highly likely, given that the perpetrator stood in a position of trust and authority (as a coach) over the child. POCSO mandates severe minimum punishments, ranging up to life imprisonment for such offenses. 

 Criminal Intimidation and Blackmailing (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita – BNS): The act of capturing explicit material to systematically threaten and silence the victim invokes sections of the BNS dealing with criminal intimidation, extortion, and sexual exploitation through coercion. 

Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 (Sections 66E and 67A): Recording explicit images/videos of a person without their consent and possessing/transmitting sexually explicit electronic content constitutes a severe cybercrime. These sections carry non-bailable terms of imprisonment and heavy fines. 

The “Position of Trust” Aggravation: Under Indian criminal jurisprudence, when a custodian, teacher, or sports coach commits an offense against a ward, the court views the breach of fiduciary duty as a major aggravating factor. This severely limits the possibility of bail and significantly increases the likelihood of a maximum sentence upon conviction. 

📰 Source: Manorama Online (English)