Thane, July 6: Police have arrested a self-styled godman who allegedly cheated a family in Maharashtra’s Thane district of Rs 2.7 lakh in cash and gold jewellery under the pretext of removing “evil spirits”, officials said on Sunday.
A 45-year-old woman residing at Kashigaon in Mira Road here lodged a police complaint in this connection on July 1, 2025.
The complainant stated that in April, the accused, Sushilkumar Patidas alias Ayodhyaprasad Giri, moved into a house in front of their residence, Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone-I Prakash Gaikwad said.
He befriended the victim’s family, claiming expertise in rituals which could cure her husband and his brother of their liquor drinking habit, cleanse their house of evil spirits and get them hidden treasure, the official said.
The accused convinced the victim that her husband was under the influence of an evil spirit and would die within eight days.
He told the victim that elaborate rituals and a ‘pooja’ costing Rs 5 lakh were necessary to avert this, the official said.
On the night of May 14, the accused performed a ‘pooja’ at his residence attended by the victim and her husband.
The victim handed over to the accused Rs 2.7 lakh in cash and 84 grams of gold jewellery, collected from her family and relatives, the police said.
The accused told the victim that the money and jewellery had been safely placed in a box, which was to remain unopened for 45 days. He subsequently informed them that he was going to his ‘guru’s’ place and would return their belongings on return after the specified time period.
The victim, however, got suspicious later and went to the accused’s house where she checked the box and found it empty, the official said.
Based on her complaint, the police launched a probe and arrested the accused from Turbhe in Navi Mumbai on Friday, Gaikwad said.
A case was registered against the accused under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 316(2) (criminal breach of trust) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice, other Inhuman and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.
During interrogation, it was found the accused’s real name was Sushilkumar Patidas and he was originally from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, the official said.
“He had adopted the fake name of Ayodhyaprasad Giri. It was also found that he frequently rented accommodations in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Palghar, engaging in similar fraudulent activities in these areas,” the official said.
The police have seized Rs 94,000 in cash and 12 gm of jewellery from the accused, he added. (PTI)
