'Overseas Friends of BJP' ex-chief convicted of raping 5 women
What's the story
A 43-year-old Indian-origin man in Australia, Balesh Dhankhar, was convicted of drugging and raping five Korean women and recording the act.
Dhankhar is a prominent member of the Indian diaspora in Australia and a founding member and former chief of the "Overseas Friends of BJP."
He was tried on 39 charges and 13 counts of rape and was found guilty of all charges.
Modus operandi
How Dhankhar lured women with fake job ads
Dhankhar allegedly had a specific modus operandi to lure gullible women.
He advertised fake jobs for Korean translators and called those interested to the same cafe, Korean restaurant, and hotel where he met all the victims.
Then, he coaxed them to accompany him to his Sydney studio apartment, where he spiked their drinks with Stilnox or Rohypnol (an infamous date-rape drug) and raped them.
Details
Police found 47 videos recorded by him in 2018
He would then record himself raping the women on his mobile phone or a camera hidden in his bedside alarm clock.
When the police searched his apartment in 2018, they found 47 videos in which he had sexual intercourse with women who were either unconscious or struggling.
The videos were organized into folders and labeled with the victims' names.
Arrest
5th victim gained consciousness while being raped
Dhankhar was ultimately arrested in 2018 when his fifth victim gained consciousness while being raped.
She hid herself in the bathroom and texted a friend.
He reportedly tried to get his name suppressed in the last four years.
During the trial, he pleaded not guilty, claiming the women consented to sex.
The accusers were strictly cross-examined and the jury watched the video evidence.
Information
Dhankhar's wife supported him in court
Reportedly, Dhankhar cried after the verdict was announced. His wife supported him in court. He said that he tricked the women because he became lonely after a failed extra-marital affair and blamed the "unfulfilling" intimacy of his marriage for his loneliness.