The investigation into the Cur chorem sexual exploita tion case has intensified, with the case now for mally transferred to the Goa Crime Branch amid emerging evidence of a wider network of abuse and additional complaints against the accused, Soham Sushant Naik. Confirming the escala tion, South Goa SP Santosh Desai said, “Three cases have been registered, and investigations are pro gressing from all angles with scientific assistance. We urge victims and the public to come forward — identities will remain con fidential, and cases will be prioritised.” He added that the transfer was aimed at ensuring a “proper and timely investigation.” The move follows the registration of two ad ditional FIRs at the Cur chorem Police Station, tak ing the total to three. In one case, the accused allegedly developed a relationship with a complainant on the pretext of marriage before sexually assaulting her, re cording the act and sharing it. In another, he is accused of contacting a minor via social media, sending ob scene content, coercing her into sharing private images and pressuring her to meet him and provide contacts of other girls.
Naik has been remanded to four days of police custody by a Judicial Magistrate First Class in Quepem. The third FIR, filed by a police officer on behalf of the State, accuses him of possessing and distributing explicit material prior to March 20, 2026. Police said offences invoked include Sections 294(1) and 294(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya San hita, provisions of the POCSO Act and the Goa Children’s Act, along with Section 67-A of the IT Act. Senior officer Varsha Sharma, who visited the police sta tion, assured a “professional investigation” and said efforts were underway to identify and reach out to more victims, indicating that the scope of the case could widen further. Investigators now believe the accused followed a calcu lated pattern to target minor girls, particularly from eco nomically weaker backgrounds in and around Curchorem and Sanguem. According to police sources, he would be friend victims, gain their trust, and lure them into relation ships with promises of love, expensive outings, and gifts. Once emotionally manipulated, he allegedly took them to isolated locations, recorded obscene videos, and used the material to blackmail and repeatedly sexually exploit them. Sources indicated that Naik frequently flaunted wealth, including the use of expensive cars, while actively scouting for potential victims near schools and colleges. He would allegedly intimidate minors by showing them recorded vid eos and photographs, ensuring their silence and continued exploitation.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
While the exact number of survivors is yet to be established, investigators suspect it could be more than 10. The case has also triggered political reactions, with Arvind Kejriwal launching a sharp attack on the BJP. “What kind of demons are there in the BJP? In Goa, an extreme ly repulsive case has come to light where the son of a BJP councillor has been sexually exploiting 30 minor girls for three years, filming them, and blackmailing them. The BJP has turned people’s lives in Goa into hell. Everyone is living under the shadow of fear,” he said. He further added, “Protecting such monsters is fatal for society. The guilty must receive the harshest possible pun ishment, and the victims must get justice. No demon should even think of doing this again.” Meanwhile, residents gathered outside the Curchorem Police Station, questioning the sudden transfer of the probe. While locals expressed concern over the timing of the handover, police maintained that shifting the case to the Crime Branch was necessary given its expanding scale and complexity.
