Vasai Self-Styled Godman Booked for Rape after Luring Pune Woman Online
Pune, 26th March 2026: A Vasai-based self-styled godman has been booked for rape after allegedly luring a woman by claiming to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva and exploiting her religious beliefs.
The accused, Rishikesh Vaidya, who claims to be a spiritual leader and heads a local organisation, was booked at Manikpur police station in Vasai. The case has been transferred to Manjari police in Pune, where the first alleged incident took place.
According to police, the complainant, a 35-year-old woman from Pune, came in contact with Vaidya on Facebook in 2023. He allegedly gained her trust by offering spiritual guidance and later developed a close relationship with her.
In December 2023, Vaidya visited Pune and allegedly convinced the woman that he was Lord Shiva and she was his ‘Parvati’. He then took her to a lodge in Manjari, where he allegedly gave her an intoxicating substance and sexually assaulted her. Police said he also clicked obscene photographs of the woman without her knowledge.
He later allegedly used these photographs to blackmail her and forced her to meet him again. In May 2025, he reportedly called her to a hotel in Vasai and attempted to assault her again.
The woman approached the police after gaining courage following the recent Ashok Kharat case. After informing her husband, she lodged a complaint on Wednesday.
Police said further investigation is underway and that the accused may have targeted other women using a similar modus operandi.
