A self-styled godman from Maharashtra has been arrested in the accusations of raping a 35-year-old woman from Pune after claiming he was an incarnation of Lord Shiva, police said.
The accused, identified as Hrishikesh Vaidya, has been charged severely with the accused's crime after a complaint was filed by the survivor. A new case could have been filed by the Palghar police, municipal police officials said.
How the Accused met the Woman.
Police concluded that the woman came in contact with Vaidya on Facebook in 2023, at which time they believed he was a manifestation of Lord Shiva, as well as his parvati. In December that year, he met down in Pune, where he convinced her that he was Lord Shiva and that she was his Parvati in order to gain her trust.
According to the FIR, the accused took her to a lodge in Pune’s Manjari area and injected her with a numbing drug and sexually assaulted her. During the incident he is also accused of taking photographs of the woman without her consent.
Allegations of Blackmail and further assault attempts.
The survivor further claimed Vaidya used the photos to blackmail her. In May last year he summoned her to a hotel in Vasai, where he even attempted to sexually assault her again.
The accused is running a social organisation in Palghar district and may have used the same modus operandi to attack the other women, police said.
Zero FIR and Investigation
A ‘zero FIR’ was registered at Manikpur Police Station before the case was transferred to Hadapsar Police Station as the primary offence occurred in Pune.
A Zero FIR allows a complaint to be filed at any police station without a jurisdiction and is transferred to the appropriate station for investigation.
Police Action Underway
The Pune Police has set up teams that are in place to catch the accused. Deputy commissioner of Police (crime) Nikhil Pingale said the searches for Vaidya are on.
The complainant came up with courage at last after another self-styled godman, Ashok Kharat, was arrested in Nashik, they added.
Accused Denies Allegations
Meanwhile, Vaidya has denied all accusations. In a social media post, he said a false case has been filed against him and said no sooner can we get the truth out.
Broader Concerns
This case demonstrates just how dangerous fraudulent godmen are in winning people's trust and good morals. The victims should come forward when investigators discover that others were involved,” the prosecutor said.
