Bogus faith healer gets 10-yr RI under anti-superstition law

A bogus faith healer has been awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment by a court here in Maharashtra for forcing a couple to perform obscene acts in his presence on the pretext of helping the woman conceive.

District Judge P P Jadhav convicted the accused, Yogesh Kupekar, Tuesday under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act 2013 and IPC sections 376 (sexual assault) and 354 (molestation).

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on him.

According to the prosecution, the accused had forced the couple in 2016 to have intercourse in front of him "to remove defects from the woman's body" on the pretext of his "treatment" to help her bear a child.

Later, the couple lodged a complaint with Thane Police, accusing him of raping and molesting the woman and extorting Rs 10,000 from them.

The woman told the police that she suffered so much mental trauma because of such activities that she contemplated suicide and had to undergo treatment at a hospital in Thane.

The accused was subsequently arrested.

In his order, the judge said, "The accused indulged in heinous acts with the victim and her husband. Certainly, this is a special and unique case apart from regular cases of rape. He is required to be punished with a proper sentence of imprisonment and fine.