Godman held for raping TV actress, duping her of Rs 25 lakh

A self-styled godman has been arrested for allegedly raping a television actress and duping her of Rs 25.70 lakh under the pretext of exorcising her and her property in suburban Kandivali, police said today.
According to Charkop police, 35-year-old accused Ismail Kasim Khan was arrested recently after the 27-year-old victim accused him of sexually abusing her and conning her of around Rs 25.70 lakh on pretext of curing her saying that she was possessed by an evil spirit.
Khan's 60-year-old accomplice Bhagwan Das is still at large, police said.
In her complaint, the actress claimed that she was suffering from constant mental and physical stress when she had come in contact with Bhagwan in June last year, police said.

Bhagwan conned her of Rs 70,000 by performing rituals to cure her of evil spirit over a period of time, but in vain, following which he introduced her to his associate Khan, they said.
Khan also performed rituals and allegedly forced her to get intimate with him. He also took money to the tune of Rs 25 lakh on different occasions and vanished.

After realising that she had been cheated and sexually assaulted for nearly a year, the victim lodged a complaint with Charkop police on Friday last. The police tracked down Khan on the same day, while a manhunt was on to nab Bhagwan.

Khan was produced before a court and was remanded to police custody till May 16.
Khan has been booked under IPC sections 376 (Sexual Offences including rape) and 420 (Cheating), while Bhagwan Das has been booked for cheating, police said.