Maharashtra: Self-Styled Vasai Godman Held for Rape, Blackmailing Pune Woman with Obscene Photos

A self-proclaimed godman from Vasai, Rishikesh Vaidya, has been booked for rape at Manikpur Police Station after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her by deceiving her under the guise of spirituality. The accused allegedly told the woman, “I am Shankar and you are my Parvati,” to manipulate her emotionally and gain her trust. The case has now been transferred to Hadapsar Police in Pune for further investigation. The complainant is a 35-year-old woman residing in Pune. According to her statement, she first came in contact with Vaidya on Facebook in 2023, where he gradually befriended her.

Taking advantage of the woman’s religious inclination, Vaidya reportedly grew closer to her by offering to teach spirituality and spiritual practices. In December 2023, he travelled to Pune to meet her and later took her to a lodge in the Manjari area. There, he allegedly gave her an intoxicating substance and sexually assaulted her. The accused is also said to have taken obscene photographs of the victim during the incident. Using these images, he blackmailed her and forced her to meet him again. In May 2025, he called her to a hotel in Vasai and allegedly attempted to assault her once more.

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The woman gathered the courage to reveal the ordeal to her husband after a similar case involving a man from Nashik came to light. In her complaint, she alleged that Vaidya posed as a religious leader and trapped multiple women in a similar manner, exploiting them sexually under the pretext of spiritual guidance. She has urged authorities to take strict action against him, suspecting that more victims may have been targeted using the same method. Police are now investigating the matter further to verify these claims and identify any additional victims who may have been affected.