Palghar: Female cop raped, duped by fake godman, four others

The police with the five accused (Pic/Hanif Patel)

The Talasari police had arrested five accused for allegedly sexually assaulting and duping female police officer of Rs 2 lakhs. The alleged rape and fraud went on for a period of two years.

"The victim had first met the accused at her residence in the year 2018. He convinced her that her house was struck by a bad omen. He and his two other accomplices also told her that if she performed a puja, her husband would get a government job. She was given a medicine that caused her to fall unconscious. It was then that the alleged accused Ravindra Bhate raped her," said a police officer.

Bhate, who is a self-proclaimed Godman, then lured the victim and her husband to Yeoor hills, Thane, and performed another puja. She was raped there as well.

According to the police, all the five accused called her under the pretext of performing pujas in different locations, they raped her multiple times and duped Rs 2 lakhs and other valuables. As she was unconscious, the survivor was allegedly not aware of the rapes.

But on September 11, she finally broke down and approached the police to register a FIR against all the accused.

"Based on her complaint, we have registered a FIR against accused Ravindra Bhate, Dilip Gaiwad, Gaurav Salvi , Mahindra Kumavat and Ganesh Kadam under sections 376 (commits rape), 420 (cheating) and 34 ( common intention) and under the relevant sections of the relevant sections of the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act," Said Palghar SP Balasaheb Patil.

"All the five accused had been arrested from various locations such as Thane, Bhiwandi and Kanjurmarg. They had been apprehended within 24 hours." Patil added.