Pune Police Arrest ‘Mahadev Avatar’ Claiming Godman in Rape Case
Pune, 28th March 2026: Amid growing outrage across Maharashtra over the alleged activities of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat from Nashik, Pune Police have arrested another self-proclaimed spiritual leader accused of sexually assaulting a woman after claiming to be an incarnation of Lord Mahadev.
The accused, identified as Rishikesh Vaidya, was arrested from the Pimpri area on Saturday. A case had earlier been registered against him at Manjari Police Station in Pune following allegations of rape and exploitation of a woman.
Case Originated in Vasai
According to police officials, the case was initially registered in Vasai and later transferred to Pune Police for further investigation. Acting on specific information, police tracked down Vaidya while he was travelling in a car and heading to Pune to visit relatives. He was intercepted and taken into custody in the Pimpri area.
Police teams had been searching for the accused for several days. After receiving a tip-off about his movement, officers managed to detain him. Vaidya is expected to be produced before the District Court in Shivajinagar.
Allegations by the Victim
Investigators said the complainant first came in contact with the accused through Facebook in 2023. In December that year, Vaidya reportedly visited Pune to meet her. During their interaction, he allegedly claimed that he was an incarnation of Lord Mahadev and that the woman was his “Parvati”.
According to the victim’s complaint, the accused later took her to a lodge in the Manjari area of Pune, where he allegedly gave her an intoxicating substance and raped her. The woman also alleged that the accused took photographs of her during the incident.
Based on her complaint, Manjari Police registered a case against the self-styled godman, and he was subsequently arrested during the police operation in Pimpri. Further investigation in the case is ongoing.
Ashok Kharat Case Sparks Outrage
The arrest comes at a time when the alleged activities of Nashik-based self-styled godman Ashok Kharat have triggered widespread anger in Maharashtra. Late on Friday night, two cases were registered against Kharat, including one related to sexual assault and another involving financial fraud.
In the sexual assault case, it is alleged that Kharat claimed to possess divine powers and gave the victim water from a copper vessel before assaulting her. According to reports, a married couple had approached him seeking spiritual guidance after facing difficulties in their personal life, which allegedly led to the incident.
Police in both cases are continuing their investigations.
