MUMBAI: A self proclaimed godman who has cheated scores of women over the past 10 years was arrested by the Dahisar police recently. Police said Arif Fakir, the accused, would promise the women that he could find solutions to their problems, but would flee with their ornaments instead. Fakir is a part of a gang of cheats from Uttarakhand and the police is looking for his aides.
On February 23, a 58-year-old woman was at Dahisar East when Fakir approached her. He told her that he knew she was facing many difficulties in her personal life and that he had powers to cure all her problems. He added that he had helped several others in the past and had made them happier. The woman fell for the con and opened up about her problems. Fakir told her he had been "sent by Lord Hanuman" particularly to help her. He asked her to remove her mangalsutra, put it in his bag and take 10 steps forward in the north direction while he took 10 steps backwards. After the woman took 10 steps forward and turned around for more directions, Fakir had vanished with her mangalsutra. She then lodged a complaint with the Dahisar police.
Fakir works in a gang with three others that has duped women in north India. "Fakir and his aides have been booked in at least 10 cases registered at Naya Nagar, Vile Parle and Tilak Nagar police stations. Recently, Kashimira police had arrested Fakir in a separate case of cheating," a police officer said.