The Thane police are searching for a self-styled godman who is alleged to have repeatedly raped a 39-year-old woman over the last two years, promising her to “exorcise” her and cure her ailing father of cancer.
According to police sources, the accused, Sailal Jedia (50), and the victim became acquainted through a social networking site and began chatting. When the victim told him about her father's ailments, Jedia allegedly told her that he had divine powers and that he could help her. They then met in Thane in early 2015, when Jedia told her that she was possessed by an evil spirit.
“Under the guise of exorcising her, Jedia had sexual intercourse with her several times over the next two years, first in Thane and then in various locations in Delhi and Assam. He also took a total of ₹3.10 lakh from her in instalments, saying he needed the money to conduct rituals to cure her father,” a senior officer with the Thane police said.
The victim, after submitting to his demands for two years, ultimately confronted him. However, he threatened to upload videos of her in compromising positions, and blackmailed her into submission. Finally, the victim confided in a friend, and approached the police earlier this year.
“We registered an FIR against Jedia and booked him for rape, cheating and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code as well as under relevant sections of the Black Magic Act and Information Technology Act. According to our information, his last known location was in Assam, and we have sent a team on his trail,” the officer added.
The police are also going through Jedia's social networking profile and analysing his interactions with others on his friend's list to check if he has similarly exploited others, investigating officers said.