Mira Road palmist arrested for raping woman and taking obscene photos | Mumbai News

MUMBAI: Naya Nagar police have arrested a fraudster and palmist for allegedly raping a 26-year-old woman and taking obscene photographs of her.

Police officials suspect that 55-year-old Santosh Potdar alias Vinod Pandit may have sexually exploited at least three other women after he found obscene photos of them on his cell phone.

The accused runs a Facebook page called Palmistry by expert Vinodji Pandit, where he claims that he can solve people’s problems through black magic and witchcraft. He has an office in Shanti Nagar, Mira Road where he meets clients.

In 2020, the then unemployed woman had sought Pandit’s advice after discovering his Facebook page. The woman said in her statement to police that Pandit tried to convince her that she would get a job if she had sex with him.

The woman contacted Pandit again in April 2022 after she experienced marital problems. At that time, Pandit spiked her drink on the pretext of performing black magic and then raped her, she alleged. Police said Pandit also clicked obscene photos of the woman, blackmailed her and raped her repeatedly for around three years.

On Monday, the woman lodged a complaint based on which the Naya Nagar police lodged an FIR against Pandit under Sections 376(2)(n) (repeated rape of the same woman), 377 (unnatural sexual intercourse) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013. Pandit was arrested on Thursday and produced before a local court. which landed him in police custody.

The investigating officer of the case said police found obscene photographs of three other women in the accused’s mobile phone. Police Inspector Abdul Haq Desai of Naya Nagar police station said there was a possibility that Pandit had sexually exploited and blackmailed other women too. The police are now contacting the women to record their statements.