CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual assault.
A former massage therapist from Adelaide has been accused of 112 offences, including dozens of sex offences, and will go to trial after he pleaded not guilty to rape, indecent assault and indecent filming charges.
Sumit Satish Rastogi, 36, worked as a masseuse at 4ever Massage in Glenelg and was arrested last year and charged with sexually assaulting two clients within three days in July 2022.
However, after he was arrested, more women came forward with allegations and the charges against him were updated.
Rastogi has now been charged with three counts of rape, 57 counts of indecent assault, and 52 counts of indecent filming.
He pleaded not guilty to 66 of the charges in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, including rape and indecent assault, and previously pleaded guilty to 44 counts of indecent filming and two counts of indecent assault.
The court heard between 150 and 200 women could be identified in more than 700 alleged indecent images that were found on the man’s phone, according to police investigations.
Rastigi’s identity and workplace was initially hidden under a suppression order, but the magistrate agreed to lift this after requests from the media — his defence did not protest this.
“I understand identity is no longer an issue — I don’t choose to make any submissions in relation to extending that order,” the prosecutor previously said, per ABC News.
Rastogi will face the District Court for an arraignment hearing — where charges are read before a judge — in October.
Help is available.
- If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
- If you’d like to speak to someone about sexual violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
- Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
