Woman booked for duping contractor of Rs45,000 on promise to resolve family problems

Pune: A self-proclaimed spiritual guru and her four accomplices, including her husband and brother, allegedly duped a contractor from Solapur of Rs45,000 with the promise of resolving his family problems through rituals.Bibewadi police have booked the suspects under Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act. The police believe they may have duped several others as well.An officer from Bibwewadi police said, “The complainant came across videos of the woman on social media. In the videos, she allegedly claimed to help people overcome family problems and other difficulties. She had circulated several such videos on social media.”The complainant came in contact with the woman in Dec 2025. She sent him items including turmeric-kumkum, a doll and a thread, claiming that they would help resolve his family problems. She later called him to her house in the Sukhsagarnagar area of Bibvewadi and promised to resolve his problems.“According to the complainant, the woman frightened him by saying he could die if the problems were not addressed. She told him he needed to perform certain rituals to ward off the trouble and collected Rs45,000 from him in cash and through online transfers on different occasions. He also alleged that the woman and her accomplices threatened to assault and kill him. We are investigating further,” the officer said.