Mumbai: Man claims to have divine powers, rapes 19-year-old, held

MUMBAI: A 58-year-old Andheri resident, employed in a software firm, was arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping a 19-year-old girl (daughter of a police officer) since 2019 (when she was minor).
Versova police arrested the accused who allegedly targetted the victim stating that he possessed divine powers.
The incident came to light after the victim revealed the ordeal to her parents recently. The case was registered on Sunday evening and the accused was arrested immediately after he was questioned.
Versova police senior inspector Siraj Inamdar confirmed the arrest of the accused who is booked for rape and under the Pocso Act. In the complaint, the victim said: "The accused claimed he has divine power and called me to his home. He offered me prasaad which was laced with sedatives and forced himself on me first in 2019."
The officer said the accused later kept calling the victim saying that she would suffer from a curse for displeasing him. He repeatedly raped her and also blackmailed her by showing her nude pictures.
The accused will be produced before the court on Monday.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court's directives on cases related to sexual assault)