Mumbai, May 12 (Mid-day): The 27-year-old woman wanted to win a flat in the MHADA lottery and went to the self-styled godman, who allegedly forced her to perform sexual acts and pay up the money as offerings to 'ensure' she won the lucky draw
This is a story straight out of daily soaps, in which a tantrik connives to fool people and cons them of money. Unfortunately, reel life turned real for a daily soap actress in Mumbai, who was allegedly raped and conned of Rs 26 lakh by a tantrik. Following the woman's complaint, the Charkop police arrested the tantrik.
But his accomplice is still on the run. The survivor is an actress on a popular television show she desired to win a flat in the much-awaited MHADA lottery. According to the police, she had applied for a flat in the MHADA lucky draw many times, but had never won.
Having lost hopes, she came into contact with Bhagwandas, a man who claimed to be a tantrik, in 2013. The 27-year-old regularly consulted him and he made her perform several rituals, taking Rs 50,000 from her. However, her luck failed to shine in a recent MHADA lottery yet again.
'More powerful'
Bhagwandas, who is in his late thirties, then assured her he would help her win the lottery by taking her to another tantrik in Mahim, the accused Ismail Azim Khan (35). He told her Khan was very powerful he was “second to Sai Baba” and that she should follow his instructions.
Khan went to her residence and in the garb of performing a pooja, asked her to perform sexual acts with him. Before raping her, he asked her to make an offering of R26 lakh to make sure her name came up in the forthcoming lottery. After the actress did as told, he allegedly raped her and escaped with the cash.
Realising she had been fooled for two years and raped, the survivor went to the Charkop police station on May 9 and lodged a case. Khan was arrested the next day from his residence near Mahim Church, booked under Section 376 (rape) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced before court yesterday and remanded to police custody. His accomplice Bhagwandas is still absconding.