Mumbai: Palmist rapes woman for 3 years to 'rid her of evil spirits and sufferings', arrested

Mumbai: A palmist who claimed to be a self styled godman, was arrested by police on charge of allegedly raping a woman on several occasions for past three years under pretext of getting rid her of evil spirits and sufferings through occult practices, a police offical said here.

The offence was registered by Naya Nagar police in Mira Road town of neighbouring Thane district after the woman registered a complaint against accused Santosh Potdar alias Vinod Pandit (55), who was operating as a palmist from a shop in the Shanti Nagar area of Mira Road.

Following the complaint, police immediately arrested Pandit and booked him under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act and the stringent Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.

He was later in day produced in a local court, which has remanded him to police custody for a week, official added.