Sex racket run by self-styled godman busted; 7, including 2 women, held

The probe into the racket began after a 15-year-old girl went missing from Rabodi and a kidnapping case was registered, an official said.

Thane: Seven persons, including a self-styled godman, were arrested for allegedly running a sex racket in the guise of performing rituals for people wanting to get rich, a Thane Crime Branch official said on Saturday.

The probe into the racket began after a 15-year-old girl went missing from Rabodi and a kidnapping case was registered, the official said.

The probe led to the arrest of two persons, identified as Aslam Khan and Salim Shaikh, on February 25, who told police about the main accused Saheblal Wazir Shaikh alias Yusuf Baba, who was held some time later, he said.

"Our probe found that Yusuf Baba and his associates lured financially vulnerable women by promising them riches through black magic. Some of the rituals included participation of women in the nude," the official said.

He said several objectionable videos of these rituals have been found along with other incriminating evidence from the mobiles phones of the accused.

"We believe this gang, which includes two women, ensnared at least 17 persons. The seven arrests were made from Thane, Vasai in Palghar and neighbouring Mumbai," Inspector Krishna Kokni of Thane Crime Branch Unit I said.

He said a case of kidnapping, rape, cheating and other offences under IPC has been registered with Rabodi police station and further probe into this racket is underway.

The accused have also been charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act 2013, the official informed.