‘Baba’ tries to help woman get rid of her husband’s female friend through ‘havan’, booked

Accused booked under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

A self-proclaimed faith healer was arrested on Tuesday following a complaint that he had taken money to perform black magic and help a woman get rid of her husband’s female friend as she suspected them to be involved in an affair.

‘Baba’ tries to help woman get rid of her husband’s female friend through ‘havan’

Ibrahim Abdul Ghani, Oshiwara resident and the complainant, told Kherwadi Police how his wife Nasreen had connived with the accused, Vikas Uniyal, who had claimed he would perform a‘havan’ (a fire ritual) that would paralyse his friend, and then cause her death.

“We have booked the accused under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013,” said a police officer. The accused is in police custody, he added.

Ghani told the police that his wife suspected him of having an affair with the said friend and had consulted many such faith healers. “My wife has already spent over ₹4 lakh on similar ‘babas’. This one had asked for ₹1.5 lakh. On Monday afternoon, she had gone to meet him to discuss the plans and took ₹25,000 to give him,” stated Ghani in his complaint.

The driver of the autorickshaw she hired knew Ghani and told him whatever he overheard the wife and baba discussed during the ride. “He sent me a recording of their conversation which revolved around black magic. He also told me the name of the restaurant where he dropped them off,” said Ghani.

He rushed to restaurant in Bandra East and confronted the two, said the police. “The wife then told him everything, including the demand of ₹1.5 lakh by the accused to get rid of her husband’s female friend,” said an officer from Kherwadi police.

Ghani was told that the baba claimed he would perform some ‘havan’ that would paralyse the other woman within 13 days and cause her death a few days later. The money brought by the wife was to be paid as an advance to buy the material needed for the ‘havan.’

“The husband brought the accused and his wife to the police station after the confrontation,” said the officer.