HC seeks progress report from cops on probe against cult group

The court was hearing a petition filed earlier this year by a couple from Malad, alleging that their two daughters, both in their early 20s, had been trapped by the cult group and its leader

Sunil Kulkarni
PTI
September 12, 2017

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Mumbai Police’s crime branch to submit a progress report on its probe into allegations against cult group ‘Shifu Sunkriti’. A bench of Justices R M Savant and Sandeep Shinde directed the crime branch’s deputy commissioner of police, Dilip Sawant, to submit the report within two weeks. The court was hearing a petition filed earlier this year by a couple from Malad, alleging that their two daughters, both in their early 20s, had been trapped by the cult group and its leader Sunil Kulkarni.

Kulkarni was arrested in April by the Mumbai police and the probe was later transferred to the crime branch. The petitioner couple, however, on Monday alleged that the crime branch’s probe was not moving in right direction. They also alleged that the authorities had failed to charge Kulkarni under IPC section 376 (rape) despite having witness statements to the effect.

The crime branch denied the petitioners’ allegations and told the court on Tuesday that it had gone by the statements of the victims. Both the women had told the authorities that they had willingly joined the cult group and participated in its activities.

“The so-called young victims are actually 21 and 23 years old. One of them is a lawyer, and the other one an architect. They have given us their statements and supplementary statements. Also, their relationship with their parents was very strained,” said Aruna Pai, the lawyer for the crime branch.

The bench, however, advised Pai not to take an adversarial view of the petitioners’ allegation. “We are not trying to pick holes in the probe.This court only wishes to be satisfied that the probe agency is taking all possibilities into account and conducting a fair probe,” the bench said. “It is natural for the parents of the victims to have apprehensions. Their misgivings should be communicated to the DCP of the crime branch,” it said.

Yesterday, the bench had also said that the crime branch should consider the apprehensions of the petitioners, and the evidence on record, to infer whether or not the charge of rape under IPC section 376 was required to be imposed in the case.

Kulkarni has been charged by the crime branch with the offences of trafficking, cheating and forgery.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/bombay-hc-seeks-progress-report-from-cops-on-probe-against-cult-group-4840023/lite/

Experts to assist cops frame cult guru

Shifu Sunkriti

SAURABH M JOSHI
THE ASIAN AGE
May 13, 2017

The experts’ analysis may help the police in building a concrete case against Kulkarni.

Mumbai: Mumbai police will take the help of handwriting experts in the “Shifu Sunkriti” case to ascertain signatures on two cheques of Rs 15 lakh seized from cult guru, Sushil Kulkarni. The experts’ analysis may help the police in building a concrete case against Kulkarni at a time when its probe has drawn a blank in terms of evidence to prove that Kulkarni was running a sex-cum-narcotics racket in the guise of spiritual activities.

Currently, the probe falls in the ambit of cheating and forgery with investigators establishing as false Kulkarni’s claims of being a doctor and administering anti-depressants. Crime branch officials claimed that the cheques bore signatures of the victims - two sisters from Malad - despite them denying signing any cheques. The cheques were seized following a raid at Kulkarni’s suburban Mumbai residence when officials also seized antidepressant tablets Tryptom-ER 10gm.

The Asian Age had reported on April 25 that crime branch officials seized two chequebooks along with signed cheques belonging to the two sisters, whose parents approached the high court, seeking investigation against Shifu Sunkriti founder, Kulkarni.

A senior IPS officer requesting anonymity said, “During interrogation, Kulkarni claimed that he had not forged the signatures. In their statements, the two sisters claimed that they did not remember signing any cheques for Kulkarni. A report from a handwriting expert will help find the truth behind the claims.”

Kulkarni had sought sponsorships from event and semi-educational companies for his venture and had also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a firm in lieu of part payments. The IPS officer said, “We suspect that he was in need of more funds for the same and the cheques were probably to be used for that. However, the actual motive behind Kulkarni’s activities is still unclear.”

http://www.asianage.com/metros/mumbai/130517/experts-to-assist-cops-frame-cult-guru.html

Sex cult 'doc' tried to set up business in follower's name

Gautam S. Mengle
The Hindu
MAY 09, 2017

Crime Branch finds MoU with Bhopal-based ice cream company in Kulkarni’s house

Mumbai: Self-proclaimed psychiatrist Sunil Kulkarni, who propagated liberation from societal rules to youngsters, was trying to set up an ice cream supply business in Mumbai, in the name of one of the young women under his influence, setting her to take the fall if things goes wrong, police sources told The Hindu on Monday.

Mr. Kulkarni, who was arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch on April 20, is accused of trying to build a following by encouraging young men and women to follow their desires instead of being bound by rules, and also promised to help them realise their career aspirations, which their parents were opposed to.

The Crime Branch, in a search of his house, had found a memorandum of understanding with a Bhopal-based ice cream company, signed by one of the two sisters whose parents had moved court against Mr. Kulkarni.

“After the girl, in her statement, told us that she had not signed the MoU, nor did she have any idea about it, we interrogated Mr. Kulkarni again. He told us that he was trying to set up a business in Mumbai, obtaining ice cream from Bhopal and selling it in the city,” a Crime Branch officer said.

The girl has also said that she has never met the ice cream supplier.

“Investigations have established that Mr. Kulkarni had drafted the MoU in a way that set up the young girl to take the fall if thing went wrong. All the paper work was drawn up in her name, and she was referred to as an advocate. However, the girl, who is a law graduate, has told us that she is not using the prefix as she has not yet received her degree,” said the officer.

Mr. Kulkarni was finalising the details of the business so that he could make it operational as soon as possible. However, the Bombay High Court issued instructions for legal action against him, and he was arrested before he could succeed in the venture.

Mr. Kulkarni is now in judicial custody and the police will be filing a charge sheet against him within two months.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/sex-cult-doc-tried-to-set-up-business-in-followers-name/article18411445.ece

Shifu Sunkriti case: No proof that sex and drugs cult leader Sunil Kulkarni exploited women

Kulkarni was arrested after parents of two sisters from Malad, in their early 20s, filed a petition in the Bombay high court claiming Kulkarni had “entrapped” their daughters

Rahul Mahajani
Hindustan Times

May 09, 2017

The Mumbai police team are yet to find any evidence against Sunil Kulkarni – the leader of an alleged sex and drugs cult Shifu Sunkriti – to prove that he exploited young girls.

The leader was arrested after parents of two sisters from Malad, in their early 20s, filed a petition in the Bombay high court claiming Kulkarni had “entrapped” their daughters. The couple claimed their daughters’ behaviour “changed drastically after attending the activities of the cult”.

The police have not found much evidence in the porn clip recovered from his phone either. “We have proof that Kulkarni influenced around 10 youngsters by giving speeches on free lifestyle. He used them in many of his alleged con “schemes’ he plotted. Youngsters believed him as he dropped names of corporates to impress them,” said a source.

Sources in the Mumbai crime branch said they were investigating the charge based on the case registered against Kulkarni in Delhi. “We are probing further. We are looking for a few more youngsters [girls and boys] to record their statements to verify the allegations,” said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

Kulkarni has been booked under protection of children from sexual offences act (POCSO) in Delhi, police said.

The police found Kulkarni used one of the sisters’ cheque book to sign an MOU with a firm in Bhopal . He finalised the deal at Rs23 crore. Kulkarni even took Rs5.50 lakh from the company, which was deposited in the woman’s account. The woman has told the Mumbai crime branch that she was not aware that her cheque book was used by Kulkarni, after which he was booked for forgery.

The police have also found that his claims of being a doctor are not true. He, however, gave lectures at various institutes making tall claims about his educational qualification. The crime branch said the elder sister from Malad met Kulkarni when he visited her college as a faculty member. She then introduced her younger sister to him.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/shifu-sunkriti-case-no-proof-that-sex-and-drugs-cult-leader-sunil-kulkarni-exploited-women/story-VyfRv4BooQFEKqA8mP6dvI.html

Mumbai ‘sex and drugs’ cult leader Sunil Kulkarni cheated people in Nagpur and Pune

He had duped several students by promising them admissions to MBBS colleges in the same cities, the police said

Manish K Pathak
Hindustan Times
May 1, 2017 

Even before he was arrested by the Mumbai police for running an alleged sex and drugs racket, Shifu Sunkriti cult leader Sunil Kulkarni was facing several cases of cheating and extortion in Delhi, Nagpur and Pune. He had duped several students by promising them admissions to MBBS colleges in the same cities, the police said.

According to an officer, the Sitabardi police in Nagpur registered a cheating case against Kulkarni, on a complaint filed by NGO Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti. An Ayurvedic doctor in Nagpur also filed an extortion complaint against him. The police are collecting more information in theses cases. Earlier, the police had said Kulkarni spent 19 days in Tihar jail for repeatedly raping a 17-year-old girl from Delhi.

The police found two visiting cards in the name of Anurag Khungar and Sonia Chawla alias Chug from Kulkarni's rented house at Bandra. The cards showed their designations as business development executive and business development manager of 'MAAD, the Finishing Academy'. During questioning, Khungar and Chawla admitted to knowing Kulkarni, but denied that they were attached to any of his organisations, the officer said. They suspected that Kulkarni may have misused their names, added the officer.

The alleged racket came to light when the parents of two Malad sisters filed a petition in the Bombay high court, alleging that Kulkarni entrapped their daughters. According to the police, Kulkarni targeted women and men aged between 18 and 25 years on Facebook. He allegedly used to drug them and then asked them to perform sexual activities.

The police are also probing if Kulkarni had any accomplices. According to Kulkarni, he completed his BA from a college in Nagpur and got a Phd in clinical psychology from Nagpur University. The police are awaiting replies from these institutes to verify his claims.

Kulkarni also claimed he was secretary general of the national human rights council in Delhi. The police have contacted the council and are awaiting a reply form them, said the officer.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-sex-and-drugs-cult-leader-sunil-kulkarni-cheated-people-in-nagpur-and-pune/story-nMlcM1Zg3OMJKPFNs1GYbP.html

The many disguises of Mumbai cult leader, sex racket 'operator' Sunil Kulkarni

Gulam Jeelani and Shiv Sunny
Hindustan Times, New Delhi/Mumbai
April 26, 2017

For years, Sunil Kulkarni projected himself as a psychiatrist, corporate management trainer, director of Sharda University and CMD of an upcoming finishing school.

According to police, however, all these claims by self-styled ‘cult’ leader, Kulkarni — now in Mumbai police custody — are being investigated.

Kulkarni, 54, is accused of allegedly sexually exploiting young followers whom he lured through social media into his group ‘Shifu Sunkriti’ by promising break in Bollywood and modelling.

Before his arrest on April 18, following a Bombay high court order, Kulkarni had served two jail terms in two different charges in New Delhi.

In 2005 he was arrested, and later let off on bail, for allegedly running an admission racket. In July 2016, he spent 19 days in Delhi’s Tihar jail after being accused of raping a 17-year-old girl who aspired to make it big in the film industry.

His latest brush with the law came last week after a couple from Mumbai suburb Malad approached the Bombay high court with a plea that their two daughters (23 and 21 years old ) had left home to live with him in January. The plea claimed that the group ‘Shifu Sunkriti’, was a “sex and drug racket”. The parents accused Kulkarni of “breaking families by preying on the vulnerabilities of the children”.

A week ago, similar complaints were registered by parents of two boys against Kulkarni and his group. The sisters were aspiring models and the boys had been promised film scriptwriters’ job, police investigations revealed.

On Tuesday, the high court granted the crime branch additional time for further probe. The observations came after the crime branch submitted its probe report in a sealed envelope before a bench of justice Ranjit More and justice AM Badar.

On various social media accounts from where he operated, Kulkarni claimed to have a doctorate in psychology from an institute in Nagpur. Police said this was untrue.

His Twitter page, with 397 followers, shows him giving a speech with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s picture in the background. On LinkedIn, he projects himself as CMD of an upcoming finishing school and chairman of Neuroplasticity Resilience Centre besides having set up many IT, nursing and paramedical schools. His followers have endorsed him for skills including management, organisational development and planning. Police said all these claims appear false.

“The Neuroplasticity Resilience Centre, of which he claims to be chairman, has no address. Some other ventures have vague addresses. We have not been able to trace any of these,” said a police officer associated with the investigation.

Police, however, refused to describe the group a cult because only four victims had been identified so far. They said, so far they know that Kulkarni moved to Delhi after Bachelor’s and Master’s from Nagpur, where he claimed to have conducted corporate training courses. Not much is known about his family except that he is separated from his wife and two children.

“When we tried to contact his family (in Delhi), they requested us to not involve them as they were not in touch with him for more than five years,” the police officer added.

While examining the ‘Shifu Sunkriti’ Facebook page, which was run by one of the ‘victim’ sisters, police claimed they found posts with sexual undertones. The page sends out calls for workshops with venues. The only way to get in touch is to drop a phone number or send out an email on the given email id, said police.

According to police, the victims have been blaming their parents for ‘harassing’ them and are not speaking out against Kulkarni.

Before he was arrested, Kulkarni had told media persons ‘Shifu Sunkriti’ was not an organisation but his mystic name.

(With inputs from HT Mumbai)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/the-many-disguises-of-mumbai-cult-leader-sex-racket-operator-sunil-kulkarni/story-uUUb2Ohw7swRFqRhQgkOOP.html

Sex cult doc tried to build a following among teenagers

Gautam S. Mengle
The Hindu
April 25, 2017


Kulkarni projected himself as leader of free thought: cops

Mumbai: Self-styled psychiatrist Sunil Kulkarni, who was arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch last week, was trying to build a following for himself among teenagers by encouraging to break societal rules and norms, Crime Branch officials said on Monday.

Mr. Kulkarni was arrested on April 19 on instructions of the Bombay High Court after parents of four young girls filed a petition, alleging that he was drawing their daughters away from them and into a cult based on sex and drugs.

The Crime Branch has since then been interrogating him regarding his interactions with the teenagers and his movements over the last 10 months that he has been in Mumbai.

Investigating officers said Mr. Kulkarni’s interrogation and analysis of his activities on Facebook have indicated that he was trying to project himself as a leader of free thought by capitalising on the rebellious instincts that all teenagers feel.

“Mr. Kulkarni had set up a Facebook page and an account, both in the name of Shifu Sunkriti. Most of the young men and women who came into contact with him had complaints against their parents, who, according to them, were being unnecessarily restrictive. Mr. Kulkarni would propagate the theory that there should be no barriers, even in sexual relations, and would encourage his followers to engage in sexual acts with each other,” said an officer who is part of the investigation.

Council denies claim

The police have found that Mr. Kulkarni, posing as a doctor – a claim that has been negated by the Maharashtra Medical Council – would administer anti-depressant pills to his followers as part of his Shifu Sunkriti. His preachings included advocating a total absence of limitations and discarding all societal rules to follow what the heart tells us to do.

“The pills would lower the mental defences and inhibitions of the teenagers, who would then readily embrace his preachings, and Mr. Kulkarni would keep them addicted to these pills. We have found several strips of these pills in his house and are seeking a formal medical opinion on their effects,” the officer said.

Investigations have also established that Mr. Kulkarni was careful to only interact with those over the age of 18 to avoid legal hassles. He had allegedly become doubly careful after a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was registered against him in Delhi last year. The police said he fled to Mumbai after the case was lodged, and had been trying to build a base in the city.

A team of Crime Branch officials is currently in Delhi making inquiries about the PCSOA case against Mr. Kulkarni and his antecedents there.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/sex-cult-doc-tried-to-build-a-following-among-teenagers/article18202042.ece

'IT IS NOT SHIFU SUNKRITI; PARENTS ARE AT FAULT'

Alka Dhupkar

Mumbai Mirror
April 20, 2017

In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, just before he was picked up by cops, Sunil Kulkarni, founder of Shifu Sunkriti, denies allegations of running a cult and pins blame on parents.

Sunil Kulkarni has been accused of running a sex cult and brainwashing the youth. However, the man at the centre of the storm of allegations claims that he is trying to “free human beings from cages”. His Facebook page ‘Shifu Sunkriti’ helps him spread his word. During the two-hour-long interview with Mumbai Mirror, Kulkarni was on the phone for a good part of the time. During one such conversation, he was trying to convince someone to leave their parents’ home. However, he did not disclose his location to anyone on the phone. He did not even allow Mirror to photograph him. Just as he stepped out of the coffee shop in Fort where this interview was conducted, Kulkarni was picked up by cops. Excerpts from the interview:

What does Shifu Sunkriti stand for?

Shifu Sunkriti is not an organisation; it is my mystic name. Shifu means master, Sunkriti means Sun (reason) + Prakriti. I have been talking to every age group of people about their own family problems and emotional problems. I trained people on neuroplasticity resilience, it is a total connect of a brain to the body through the spinal cord through the electrical energy through the endocrinal grands that is basically the chemical energy. When all this is brought together, we get connected to ourselves. To do that, you have to physically get naked before yourself and then look at your body, get friendly with your body, then you actually get emotionally naked. You should have that courage.

How does Shifu Sunkriti function?

Nine months back, I started a Facebook page to carry my thoughts forward. After my Facebook page came in the news, I was flooded with emails from all over the world. Depressed people are writing to me. The practitioners of psychology and psychiatry take advice from my Facebook articles. My articles talk about brain and body connection, male and female relations, about society and culture.

Why are the youth leaving their parents’ homes after joining Shifu Sunkriti. In one case, a student even dropped out of college.

It is not Shifu Sunkriti but the parents who are at fault in all cases. In the recent case which is before HC, the parents were torturing their children. They have an abusive relationship and they followed their children everywhere they went. A domestic violence case should have been filed against them. I am just trying to help the two adult girls, who are trying to live an independent life. How is that a crime? I have even met Vijaya Rahatkar, chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission of Women and complained about the parents. I have written to the police stations and to the Mumbai Police chief. In two other cases, parents of two young boys are just trying to put the blame on me for whatever differences they have with their sons. One of the boys work for me and one of the boys is a friend of his. But I have just helped these boys solve their emotional problems. Now one of the parents has confined their son in Goregaon and we are trying to release him.

You claim on your LinkedIn profile that you are a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist. Then why don’t you open your clinic and practice?

I did practice for three years. My Facebook page and my profession are two different things. I am a corporate trainer by profession. I have been giving lectures on management in all education institutes from Mithibai College to IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Kharagpur. One of the girls from the current HC case was working with me as a counsellor. I used to conduct lectures in Mithibai College and during one of the meeting she came in contact with me and then took up psychology. I have 16 such young counsellors nationally, all of them are under the age of 25. I don’t prescribe any medicine to anybody. I just show them the path.

You have many cases against you, from rape to cheating and now of running a cult.

The parents have filed a case against police in HC; they have not made me a party. Yes, the girls stayed with me in Andheri after they left their parent’s house in December but that doesn’t mean I have done anything wrong. The past rape case in Delhi against me was fictitious, that is why I could secure my bail. The financial cheating cases were nothing but the cases of cheque bouncing. I have cleared it with signing the bond. My annual income is Rs 75 lakh and I pay all taxes to the government. I am going to expose the parents soon.

Why are you not allowing us to take your picture if you have nothing to hide?

I am not hiding. If somebody is trying to trap me I will definitely fight back.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Girls are under his influence: HC

By Sharmeen Hakim

The Bombay High Court yesterday came down hard at the Mumbai police for their tardy investigation into the alleged ‘sex racket’ being run by Sunil Kulkarni. The court has ordered an FIR to be registered against ‘Shifu Sunkriti’ as well as Kulkarni.

A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Anuja Prabhudesai were hearing a petition filed by a Chartered Accountant and his wife, alleging that their educated daughters (23 and 21) had left their home at the behest of Kulkarni, who was drugging and sexually abusing them.

When the bench was informed that the girls had left their home on their own accord and their statements were recorded by the police, the furious bench said, “The language in the WhatsApp messages clearly shows the girls are under the influence [of Kulkarni], you can’t go by the statement made by them.”

The bench was referring to Facebook chats between the girls and Kulkarni back in December, when their parents refused to let them meet Kulkarni. The girls had to be let go after they began accusing their parents of domestic violence.

“This needs to be taken seriously. If they had gone by their own free will, no one would have approached the court,” said the court.

The police through public prosecutor Sangeeta Shinde said that they had raided Kulkarni’s premises on April 9, six days after the NGO helping the parents submitted their report to the police. “The parents approached the police in December last year for the first time and till April the police did nothing. You (police) should have taken immediate action,” the court remarked. “How can the police take such serious cases so casually?” Justice Prabhudessai asked.

When Mirror contacted Sanjay Saxena, Joint CP, Crime, last night, he confirmed that Kulkarni was being interrogated. Till the time of going to press, the Malad police were in the process of registering an FIR against Kulkarni.

Incidentally, both girls were seen giving interviews to the media outside the High Court but neither Kulkarni nor the girls attended the HC hearing inside the court. Both girls did speak to Mirror, and mouthed exactly the same allegations against their parents that Kulkarni said.

Advocates for the petitioners, Sandesh Patil and Varsha Bhogle also pointed out complaints from the parents of two more children. They claim that their son left home earlier this month. “He gave reasons that we had failed in his upbringing and had sent him into depression,” the complaint reads. Another set of parents stated that their son called Kulkarni ‘God’ and that he would go to any lengths for him.

http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/it-is-not-shifu-sunkriti-parents-are-at-fault/articleshow/58271126.cms

Girls in sex cult doc's photos may be from Delhi; cops send team

Den of vice?: Little Flower society in Bandra,
 where Sunil Kulkarni had been staying since a few months  

The Hindu
APRIL 22, 2017

During interrogation, Kulkarni denies ásking youngsters to leave home; police say he was running similar racket in Delhi

Mumbai: The girls whose explicit pictures were found on pen drives at the residence of sex cult racket accused Sunil Kulkarni might be from Delhi, where he originally hails from, investigating officers said on Friday.

Kulkarni, who was accused of influencing young girls and taking advantage of them in a petition filed before the Bombay High Court, was arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch on Thursday.

While searching his Bandra residence, the police had found three pen drives containing explicit pictures of young girls and videos of young men and women engaged in sexual acts, which seem to have been recorded using hidden cameras.

“Investigations so far indicate that Kulkarni was running a similar racket in Delhi, and the girls whose pictures we found might be Delhi residents. A team is leaving for Delhi by Saturday to investigate this aspect,” an officer who is part of the investigation said.

Kulkarni's interrogation so far has revealed that while he had several young women under his influence, he did not encourage them to leave their families and stay with him.

“The two sisters whose parents had gone to court against Kulkarni were staying with him because relations were severely strained between them and their parents. All the other girls who were under his influence continued to stay with their families. Kulkarni encouraged this, and called them over only when he wanted to. We suspect this was a deliberate attempt to not attract the attention of neighbours. Residents of the building in Bandra where he was staying were surprised when we made inquiries,” the officer said.

The police team being sent to Delhi will try to trace the girls in the images and will also be recording a statement from his estranged wife, who stays in Delhi.

Meanwhile, the crime branch is also probing Kulkarni’s source of income and verifying claims he has made about his profession. Kulkarni has claimed to be a visiting faculty in several colleges in Mumbai and a corporate trainer for several companies. The police have contacted all institutions to verify his claims.

“Kulkarni had earlier claimed to have completed his MD in Psychiatry from the Indira Gandhi Medical College in Nagpur. However, the college has confirmed that they don’t offer such a course,” an officer said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/girls-in-sex-cult-docs-photos-may-be-from-delhi-cops-send-team/article18187280.ece

Maharashtra: Parents' claims baseless, say daughters who joined 'cult'

Maharashtra: Parents’ claims baseless, say daughters who joined ‘cult’
Women’s parents had moved a petition in HC claiming Shifu Sunkriti had drugged, brainwashed their daughters

Radhika Ramaswamy
The Indian Express
April 20, 2017

TWO days after their parents filed a petition in the Bombay High Court alleging that a cult group had lured them into ‘promiscuous behaviour’, two young women have called the allegations baseless. The women, aged 21 and 23, daughters of a Malad-based couple, told The Indian Express that they had left home after being subjected to domestic violence.

The petition by the girls’ parents says that the two had been drugged and hypnotised by Sunil Kulkarni, who leads a group called Shifu Sunkriti, and were brainwashed into joining a sex and drugs racket. On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court directed the Mumbai police to file an FIR against Shifu Sunkriti and investigate the group. The court was also informed by the parents’ lawyers about two more parents who had approached the police with similar complaints against the ‘cult’ group.

Dismissing the allegations by her parents, the 21-year-old woman told The Indian Express, “Our parents have physically and mentally tortured us since childhood. Problems hit the roof after my sister started working for Kulkarni, who is a qualified psychiatrist.” The 23-year-old, who was pursuing a degree in law, had shifted to studying event management and had met Kulkarni when he visited her college.

“I was offered a job by him and I was merely looking after the Facebook page of Shifu Sunkriti, which is not a sex cult group or drug racket as is being alleged. It’s a resilience technique which rewires the brain for better health and mental wellbeing. It helps face internal emotions and lead a better life through various mind and body exercises and techniques,” said the elder daughter. She added that Kulkarni conducted workshops to impart the technique in Mumbai and Delhi.

The younger woman took a break from her architecture course last year. “Our parents did not like that we wanted to pursue careers and interests of our choice. They never gave us any freedom. When my sister started working with Kulkarni, all hell broke loose. Our dad locked us up for about a week and even approached the police against Kulkarni… We were forced to file a complaint against Kulkarni. The environment in the house was violent and dangerous and we had to get out of that house,” said one of the women.

They claimed Kulkarni is a qualified doctor and the cases against him in Delhi pertain to financial issues. The women said they are at present staying as paying guests, and not with Kulkarni. “We are shocked that our parents have filed a petition of this kind. They say they sent a social worker to inspect the office and found semi nude people — all this is a figment of their imagination. We are also planning to take this up legally and will file an application in the court,” said one of the women.

Asked about the allegations by the daughters, the lawyer representing the parents, Varsha Bhogle, said, “They have been brainwashed and drugged into making such statements. They don’t know what they are saying.”

She went on to say that the sisters approached the police after the ‘cult’ group influenced them to do so and the police did visit the house to verify the complaint and found nothing wrong, which is why no case was registered against the parents. “The parents want the children released from the clutches of this man and the racket that he operates. Many more innocents are likely to be under his spell,” said Bhogle.



radhika.ramaswamy@expressindia.com



http://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra-parents-claims-baseless-say-daughters-who-joined-cult-4620293/

Cult leader who drugged girls and trapped them arrested in Mumbai

Vicky Nanjappa
Oneindia News
April 20, 2017

A cult leader who allegedly poses as a psychiatrist was arrested in Mumbai on Thursday after the high court heard petitions in this regard. The Bombay high court heard petitions filed by the family members in which it was alleged that the cult leader, Sunil Kulkarni had trapped their daughters and pushed them into drugs.

The high court was told that Kulkarni had lured four women in their twenties into talking drugs. It was stated that Kulkarni who heads the Shifu Sunkriti poses as a psychiatrist. He was charged by the Malad police for trafficking, cheating, obscenity and violation of the Information Technology Act.

The high court was told that Kulkarni had lured four women in their twenties into talking drugs. The girls left their respective homes, their parents alleged in the petition. It was also stated that the girls who were allegedly trapped on the social media were refusing to return home.

The court questioned the police why they were taking this case casually. The court said that it looks like an apparent case of sex and drugs. Several boys and girls are being trapped and the police is taking this matter lightly, the court also said.

http://www.oneindia.com/india/cult-leader-who-drugged-girls-and-trapped-them-arrested-in-mumbai-2410742.html