Goa BJP Councillor’s Son Arrested in POCSO Case for Allegedly Assaulting, Taping and Blackmailing 25 Minor Girls

Key Points

20-year-old Soham Sushant Naik, son of a South Goa BJP councillor, was arrested on 23 March 2026 in connection with a POCSO case involving the sexual exploitation of 25 to 30 minor girls. Naik faces allegations of filming sexually explicit videos of minor girls, blackmailing victims, and circulating the content among acquaintances, as multiple victims have come forward and the police widens its investigation.

Authorities have registered three FIRs in the case so far, with two additional complaints filed after minor victims recorded their statements following the arrest. Police have transferred all cases to the Crime Branch, which has begun a detailed probe into the alleged ‘sex racket’.

The case first came to light after a report in a local daily claimed that Naik had circulated sexually explicit videos of minor girls and allegedly boasted about them to friends. He is also alleged to have engaged in sexual relations with at least 14 girls, including minors, and used video evidence as blackmail.

Some reports also indicate that the alleged abuse may have involved 25 to 30 minor girls over a period of three years. The allegations surfaced after the accused reportedly showed explicit videos to acquaintances during a social gathering, leading to rumours spreading across the community and triggering public outrage.

The arrest followed protests outside Kudchade police station in South Goa, where residents gathered demanding an impartial investigation and immediate action. Protesters, drawing comparisons with the Prajwal Revanna sexual abuse case, urged police to register a suo motu FIR and warned of a bandh if the accused was not arrested within 48 hours.

See Also: Prajwal Revanna case: SIT files 13,712-page chargesheet, 39 accused named

Following the arrest, police appealed to victims to come forward and record their statements. Two minor girls subsequently recorded their statements, leading to two additional FIRs being registered. Authorities confirmed that all three FIRs have now been transferred to the Crime Branch for investigation.

South Goa Superintendent of Police Santosh Dessai said that preliminary investigation revealed images and videos of women on the accused’s phone. He added that victims had been urged to file complaints and that the Crime Branch is now handling the probe.

Crime Branch Superintendent Rahul Gupta confirmed that the three FIRs have been transferred and a probe has been initiated. The FIR includes charges related to assault, sexual harassment, cheating, and rape, along with provisions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Goa Children’s Act, and Information Technology Act.

In one of the statements, a victim said that Naik developed a relationship with her under the pretext of marriage over a six-month-long period in 2023. On two occasions, the statement continued, Naik lured the victim to isolated locations before raping her, recording the incident, and sharing it with his friends.

In another complaint, a minor girl alleged that between 2024 and 2025, the accused contacted her through Instagram and sent her an obscene photograph. The FIR states that he allegedly threatened to expose her personal relationships publicly and pressured her to meet him. He also allegedly asked her to share contact details of other girls.

Investigators said that age verification of victims will be conducted using official documents, and forensic examination of digital material is underway as part of the ongoing investigation. The father of the accused, Curchorem Cacora councillor Sushant Naik, has not responded to the development.

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