Bhiwandi Cleric Arrested For Allegedly Sexually Assaulting Woman During Faith Healing Ritual
Bhiwandi: A 30-year-old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted on the pretext of treating her illness through faith healing rituals at a shrine in Bhiwandi following which the accused allegedly threatened to circulate a video of the assault to blackmail her. Bhiwandi City police have registered a case against a 50-year-old cleric identified as Maulana Ismail, and an unidentified person. Accused…
A 30-year-old woman in Bhiwandi allegedly suffered sexual assault during a faith healing ritual conducted by a 50-year-old cleric, Maulana Ismail, according to the Bhiwandi City police. The woman approached Ismail for treatment of her illness and was lured to a shrine near Varala Devi Talao on multiple occasions between June 2024 and August 2026.
During one of these visits, Ismail allegedly performed a ritual involving him opening her hair, placing a lemon in her hand, reciting prayers and then cutting the lemon. Around 15 days later, he called her to the shrine again under the guise of another healing ritual, allegedly sexually assaulting her against her will. Following the assault, Ismail allegedly threatened to circulate a video recording of the incident to blackmail the victim.
Police registered a case against Ismail and an unidentified person, and the accused has been remanded to police custody until August 18. The investigation is ongoing to determine if other women were targeted by Ismail in a similar manner.
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