A Pune-based IT professional and his wife, seeking a "spiritual cure" for their two daughters' ailments, were allegedly defrauded of ₹14 crore over seven years by three individuals. One of the accused, a woman, claimed that the spirit of a godman entered her body and that she could cure the victim's ailing daughters.
The techie, who had previously worked in the UK, submitted a complaint to the Pune police. According to the complaint, one of the daughters suffers from a neurological disorder, while the other has an autoimmune ailment. In 2018, the complainant's wife met a man at a devotional gathering, who then introduced her to a couple. The woman in the couple claimed to possess spiritual powers from a godman and offered to heal the daughters.
The accused then allegedly asked for detailed information regarding the family's finances, income sources, and properties. They convinced the couple that their properties had "dosh" (ill effect) and advised them to sell everything and transfer the money to the woman's account. The suspects started taking money from the complainant on the pretext of performing healing rituals through the spirits of the godman.
Following the accused's guidance, the couple, both in their fifties, sold properties in the UK and Pune and used their savings, including provident funds. The engineer sold his house in England, a flat in Pune, and a farm in Konkan. They were also persuaded to take loans by mortgaging jewelry and relatives' houses to continue paying them. The engineer is now struggling to repay loans while caring for his daughters.
Even after repeated harassment and extortion claiming supernatural powers, the daughters' conditions remained uncured. The family eventually realized they had been cheated and approached the police. The couple's lawyer filed a complaint with Pune Police on November 3, detailing the fraud. Police have launched an inquiry into the matter. "We will investigate before deciding the next course of action, including registration of FIR," said DCP (cyber and economic offences) Vivek Masal.
