Another Nashik ‘godman’ accused of rape, threatened woman with ‘divine power’; case filed

ASelf-proclaimed godman is reportedly below the digital scanner in Nashik o'er allegations of sexual clapperclaw and the constabulary has registered an FIR in connection with the case. This comes weeks after Ashok Kharat, another self-styled godman in Nashik, was accused of rape, sexual assault and cheating and extortion.Police filed a complaint on Wednesday night against Maheshgiri alias Mahesh Dilip Kakde (31) following the allegations by a 28-year-old woman, PTI reported. While the alleged crimes took place in 2024, the woman mustered courage after activists of the anti-superstition Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti counselled her, and filed a complaint, an official was quoted as saying. However, no arrest has been made in the case yet.Also read: Delhi rape-murder: Posh area, house smart-locked but accused knew where secret key wasThe survivor, a Nashik-based security guard employed at a private hospital, was taken to the godman by her parents due to family issues and her mental health condition. Claiming to possess divine powers, the accused allegedly told the family that the woman was possessed by a spirit and promised to “treat” her.Exploited on pretext of rituals The survivor is a Nashik-based security guard. She alleged in her complaint has said that her parents took her to Kakde, popularly known as ‘Bhondu Baba’ as she was facing some mental stress. Kakde told them that she had been affected by black magic and reportedly asked them to perform certain rituals.He then asked the woman to attend prayers every Thursday, but later started sending her obscene messages. However, things turned worse in August 2024 when he asked her to come to a secluded location from where he drover her to a lodge.Also read: ‘Highest-ever since Independence’: Gyanesh Kumar lauds record turnout in Bengal and Tamil NaduWhen the woman resisted, he showed her the rudraksha beads and threatened her saying that he had divine power and, “you will be unable to resist anything” before coercing her to have sex with him, India Today reported. He allegedly took nude photographs of her and would threaten her whenever she confronted him. Kakde even deleted the messages and other evidence related to the abuse, the report added. After remaining silent for some time due to fear, the woman approached the anti-superstition organisation Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti for assistance. A complaint was subsequently lodged with the Maharashtra Police, and an investigation is currently underway.Case against self-styled godman A case of alleged rape and offences under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, was registered against Kakde late Wednesday night at Lasalgaon police station and further investigation was on, the official said.Ashok Kharat, a self-proclaimed godman who ran a temple in Sinnar tehsil and was visited by several Maharashtra politicians over the years was arrested in a rape case last month.