Astrologer Hasmukh Rathod, arrested on Wednesday in the incest-rape case, attempted to bribe the police during interrogation.
According to a source from the police station where Rathod was grilled, the accused told subdivisional police officer Maithli Jha: “Ab ho gaya toh kya kar sakte hain. Aapka kuch hisab hai toh bolo aur is matter ko rafa-dafa karo (nothing can be done about what’s happened. Let me know whatever demands you have, I will fulfil it, and let’s close the case)”.
The police said Rathod and the other two accused, Kishore and Anjana Chouhan, parents of the two victims, have no remorse.
“Not on a single occasion have they regretted their act. They have been asserting that whatever they did was in the best interest of the family,” said an officer.
Moreover, Anjana has been explicit and descriptive during her interrogation. “She gave a detailed account of the kinds of
intercourse they were involved in in the past nine years. The way she was describing it, we had to restrain ourselves while asking questions,” said one officer.
Kishore, booked for raping his daughters along with Rathod, had this to say of the relationship between the astrologer and his wife: “Meri wife usko pasand aa gayi thi toh main kya kar sakta tha (what could I do since he liked my wife).”
Jha said there were three reasons why the accused indulged in such acts: “Whenever the Chouhans faced any problem, they would call up Rathod, who would suggest that doing this act on a particular day would bring spiritual enhancement and prosperity to the family and their problems would be solved. Secondly, Rathod also used to give small amounts of money (Rs 500-1,000) to support the family besides giving gifts on festivals. Thirdly, the accused did it for lust. They derived pleasure out of it.”
{{/usCountry}}Jha said there were three reasons why the accused indulged in such acts: “Whenever the Chouhans faced any problem, they would call up Rathod, who would suggest that doing this act on a particular day would bring spiritual enhancement and prosperity to the family and their problems would be solved. Secondly, Rathod also used to give small amounts of money (Rs 500-1,000) to support the family besides giving gifts on festivals. Thirdly, the accused did it for lust. They derived pleasure out of it.”
{{/usCountry}}The police said Rathod was an opportunist. He did not use force on the victims or the couple for sexual acts but would blackmail them emotionally, persuade them psychologically. “Though we are looking for other such victims, it appears that Rathod particularly targeted this family as the parents were very supportive in this case,” the official added.