PUNE CITY police have arrested a self proclaimed godman claiming to possess supernatural powers who allegedly promised a woman a hidden gold treasure and duped her of Rs 2.6 lakh.
A First Information Report in the case has been registered at the Koregaon Park police station by the 40-year-old woman, resident of Kothrud. Police have arrested the accused identified as Mohammed Khan Madari alias Dekhnewala Khanbaba (65). He has been booked on the charges of cheating and criminal breach of trust along with provisions of the The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.
According to the police, the complainant who was in financial distress and was facing personal issues, approached the accused through her friend. On the pretext of predicting her future, the accused examined the complaints palms and told her that she was destined to receive a hidden gold treasure.
The accused then asked the complainant to get some soil in an earthen pot and asked for Rs 2.6 lakh. He claimed that the money was for sacrificing four goats, two buffaloes and hens to ‘awaken the jinn.’ The complainant mortgaged her own gold jewellery to arrange the money to be given to the accused.
Later, the accused handed a closed earthen pot to her claiming he had used his supernatural powers on the pot. He asked her to open the pot after 17 days, 11 hours and 21 minutes and claimed that it would be filled with golden treasure. Later when the woman discovered she was cheated, she approached the police.
“A trap was laid for the arrest of the accused. He was arrested on Wednesday evening. We have launched a probe to find out how many more people the accused has cheated in this manner.” said an officer from Koregaon Park police station.
