A case has been filed against a self-identified ‘godman’ from Vasai, Maharashtra, after a 35-year-old woman accused him of rape and blackmail. The accused, Rishikesh Vaidya, allegedly claimed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva and referred to the victim as Goddess Parvati. The woman decided to file a first information report (FIR) at the Manikpur Police Station following the arrest of another spiritual leader, Ashok Kharat, who was implicated in multiple sexual assault cases.

Details of the Incident

According to the details provided in her complaint, Vaidya initially connected with the survivor on Facebook in early 2023. Under the pretense of spiritual guidance, he met her in December 2023 at a lodge in Pune, where he allegedly drugged and raped her. During this assault, Vaidya purportedly took unauthorized explicit photographs of the woman, which he later used to blackmail her, coercing her into further sexual encounters.

Subsequent Assault and Ongoing Investigation

In May 2025, Vaidya allegedly summoned the victim to a hotel in Vasai, where he attempted another sexual assault. The woman claimed that Vaidya had exploited multiple women using similar deceptive strategies under the guise of his religious persona. This series of events prompted the victim’s husband to file a formal complaint at the police station after learning about the similar case involving Ashok Kharat.

Transfer of the Case and Efforts to Identify Additional Victims

Authorities subsequently moved the case to the police station that holds jurisdiction over the initial crime scene. The investigation is actively ongoing, with police looking into the full scope of the allegations against Vaidya and assessing the possibility of additional victims who may have been silenced or intimidated by the accused.

Recent Trends in Spiritual Leader Abuse Cases

This incident marks the second case within a week involving a spiritual leader from Maharashtra. Recently, Ashok Kharat, also known as ‘Captain’ Kharat, was arrested by the Nashik Crime Branch. He is accused of manipulating a 35-year-old married woman through rituals and purported divine powers, using drugs and hypnosis to facilitate repeated assaults from November 2022 to December 2025. Following these allegations, the Maharashtra government established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by IPS officer Tejaswini Satpute to investigate Kharat’s case.

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