Astrologer known for TV shows held for rape, cheating

A 43-year-old astrologer known for his flashy television programmes has been arrested for raping a female disciple multiple times and conning her out of Rs 50 lakh.

Dinesh Guruji, who calls himself a "world-class micro-astrologer", runs an astrology centre on Pipeline Road, Gangammanagudi, North Bengaluru. He runs a website and conducts programmes on television channels.

Police apprehended him on Saturday after the 28-year-old woman filed a complaint of rape and cheating.

In the complaint, the woman said she was impressed with Guruji's television programmes and had approached him last year to teach her astrology. The astrologer agreed to help her and promised a degree in astrology from one of the recognised institutes.

During the classes, Guruji often talked about tantric sex. Taking her to trance, he started sexually exploiting her. Curiously, these sessions happened only when Guruji's wife would not be home. The sexual assaults happened over several months. The woman just played along in the hope of getting the "fortune" that Guruji had promised her.

A few sessions later, the suspect asked her to lend him money and promised to return it soon. Trusting him, she convinced her parents to help him and loaned him Rs 50 lakh. The family had earned the money after selling a residential plot and planned to invest it elsewhere.

The complainant told the police she decided to "expose" the astrologer after finding out that he had sexually assaulted and cheated many women like her. She lodged a complaint on Friday.