A distressing incident has recently been reported in Pune, involving a software engineer who fell victim to individuals operating a black magic scam. The 33-year-old software engineer, residing in Dhanori, has lodged a complaint with the Vishrantwadi police station, prompting an investigation by the Pune city police.
The police have registered a case under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act against three individuals and an astrologer allegedly involved in the fraudulent scheme.
According to the police, the complainant was advised by his wife’s brother to seek the assistance of black magic to bring harmony to his domestic life. In collaboration with an astrologer, they deceived the complainant by falsely promising to conduct various rituals and pujas to address the family’s problems and physical ailments. As a result, the complainant was defrauded of Rs 28 lakhs.
The Vishrantwadi Police have named Abhishek Kulkarni (35), Vijay Govind Jadhav (30), a resident of Indapur, and Sadashiv Fode (37), also a resident of Indapur, as the accused parties. The fraudulent activities took place between March 2021 and August 2021.
The complainant, employed as a software engineer, was introduced to Abhishek Kulkarni by his wife’s brother, who claimed that Kulkarni possessed exceptional skills as a palmist and astrologer. After examining the complainant’s hand, Kulkarni insisted on the installation of a machine to resolve the family’s issues, quoting a price of Rs 17 lakhs 46 thousand for the device.
Vijay Govind Jadhav, the complainant’s brother-in-law, informed him that the actual cost of the machine was Rs 2 lakhs 89 thousand. Subsequently, the complainant transferred the money to the bank account of Sadashiv Fode, who worked as a driver for Abhishek Kulkarni. Fode delivered the machine to the complainant’s residence and installed it, temporarily alleviating the disturbances.
However, the astrologer persisted in highlighting additional issues within the household and demanded further payments for rituals related to coronavirus resistance, Pidrodosh, and domestic harmony. On one occasion, Abhishek Kulkarni visited the complainant’s house and stated that both the complainant and his brother needed to undergo worship to address physical defects. Rituals were performed at Kulkarni’s residence, involving the creation of dough statues adorned with household ornaments.
The statues were then supposed to be taken to a Math (a Hindu monastery) where they would undergo eight days of worship. However, Kulkarni never returned as promised after taking the statues, and when questioned, the complainant’s brother-in-law claimed to be unaware of the matter.
Senior Police Inspector Dattatray Bhapkar confirmed that the complainant approached the police and filed a complaint. The investigation has revealed that the complainant was swindled of Rs 20 lakhs and 25 tolas of gold by his relative and the astrologer involved in the scam. The police are actively pursuing the case to bring the culprits to justice.
