Self-styled godman arrested in Pune after 15 years of abuse allegations

Self-Styled Godman Arrested in Pune: Woman Alleges 15 Years of Abuse and Torture

Pune police have arrested a self-proclaimed godman, Radhamohan Mishra, along with seven associates, following allegations of prolonged sexual and mental abuse by a 41-year-old woman. The victim claimed she endured 15 years of exploitation, including being forced to drink urine and subjected to electric shocks. Mishra, originally from Haryana, had been operating an ashram from a bungalow in Pune's Wagholi area for the past eight years.

The case came to light after the woman, a resident of Sinhagad Road in Pune, filed a complaint on Tuesday night. Acting on her report, the Pune Crime Branch raided the bungalow and arrested Mishra, his associate Kanwal Nayan, and six female aides. All eight suspects have been remanded to police custody until June 20.

According to the investigation, Mishra presented himself as a divine incarnation to gain the trust of the victim's family, who also hail from Haryana. Over time, he manipulated the family and isolated the woman by tarnishing her image in front of them. The victim alleged that Mishra controlled her life, forcing her to endure physical and psychological torment, including surveillance through CCTV cameras installed in her room.

The woman further accused Mishra of pressuring her to separate from her husband and attempting to transfer her property into his name. Despite living under constant fear and control, she eventually broke free by destroying the surveillance cameras and escaping to her family.

Even after arranging her marriage through a matrimonial website, Mishra allegedly continued to interfere in her life, using private videos to blackmail her and ultimately causing her divorce.

During the raid, police seized a significant amount of electronic equipment, including 19 hard drives, 12 laptops, 11 mobile phones, and several DVDs and pen drives. They also recovered ₹15 lakh worth of jewelry, ₹6.5 lakh in cash, and 10 pills. Additionally, a partially constructed underground tunnel was discovered at the bungalow, which authorities suspect was intended as an escape route.

The police are now investigating the purpose of the tunnel and examining the financial and technical aspects of the case. Mishra reportedly had followers across Maharashtra and northern India, with many visiting his ashram regularly. Local residents noted that weekly devotional gatherings were held at the bungalow, but those living in the ashram maintained minimal contact with outsiders.