Nagpur: In a significant breakthrough in a high-profile sexual assault case, the Hudkeshwar Police in Nagpur have arrested Mrunal Vijay Ghaywat, wife of self-proclaimed psychologist Vijay Prabhakar Ghaywat, and his aide Pallavi Kishor Belkhode, both accused of aiding in the sexual exploitation and blackmail of multiple minor girls. The duo had been absconding for over six months and were apprehended on May 28, 2025, by a police team led by Senior PI Dnyaneshwar Bhedodkar, under the supervision of ACP Narendra Hiware.

Multiple Cases Registered Against Vijay Ghaywat:

The main accused, Vijay Ghaywat, ran the Manovikas Mind Development Center in Manewada and posed as a psychologist offering therapy sessions for concentration and mental health issues. In 2014, a female victim approached the Hudkeshwar Police Station, alleging that Ghaywat had molested and sexually exploited her under the pretext of treatment.

The survivor revealed that she was intoxicated during the sessions and coerced into physical relations. The accused had also recorded obscene photos and videos of her, which he later used to blackmail her. Based on her complaint, a criminal case was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, POCSO Act 2012, and the Juvenile Justice Act 2015.

During the investigation, police seized Ghaywat’s mobile phone and discovered objectionable content involving other minor girls—suspected to be former students at the same center. As more survivors came forward, three more FIRs were registered.

The accused’s wife, Mrunal Ghaywat, and accomplice Pallavi Belkhode were found to have supported and facilitated the crimes. Both had been evading arrest for months and were finally taken into custody from Wathoda area. A local court has remanded them to police custody till May 31, 2025.

Recognizing the gravity of the case, Commissioner of Police Dr. Ravinder Singhal constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to handle the multiple FIRs efficiently.