A Pune sessions court has rejected the anticipatory bail application of Sonali Gulabrao Hinge, a police constable and social media influencer, who is implicated in a ₹7 lakh extortion case involving a lecturer from a polytechnic college. The case, registered at Bundgarden police station in April, alleges that Hinge and two other accused used a minor girl and temporary mobile numbers to threaten the lecturer with legal action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to extort money. Additional Sessions Judge PY Ladekar stated that custodial interrogation was necessary for a thorough investigation, referencing electronic evidence collected by the police. The prosecution claims Hinge received ₹1 lakh from the extorted amount. Hinge's defence argued that she was only fulfilling her official duties by advising the minor girl to report the allegations and escorting her to the police station. However, the court found sufficient material collected during the investigation to warrant further questioning, leading to the rejection of her bail application. The investigation continues with two co-accused already in custody.