MUMBAI: A 52-year-old tantric who duped a senior citizen of Rs 10 lakh by promising to cure arthritis was arrested by the D B Marg police in south Mumbai on Monday.

The police have booked the accused, Hafiz Shaikh alias Mohammed Baba, for cheating but not charged him under the anti-superstition and black magic legislation. Shaikh was remanded in police custody after he was produced in court.

Last December, the 60-year-old complainant, who had difficulty walking, was approached by one Raju who promised her that a tantrik could cure her. The senior citizen gave him her telephone number. Later, Mohammed Baba came to her house and examined her. Baba convinced the woman that her condition was deteriorating and that she would develop gangrene and become paralyzed. “The woman paid Baba Rs 2.5 lakh. When he approached her a few days later, Baba warned her that someone had done black magic and cast a spell. The woman’s family members were petrified and agreed to pay Baba to ward off the spell,” said a senior police officer. “Baba warned her that if she discontinued the treatment abruptly then her pain would become unbearable,” he added.

When the pain refused to subside despite the woman paying Rs 10 lakh to Baba, she approached a doctor and narrated what had happened. The doctor called up Baba and questioned him after which he told the woman to lodge a complaint with the DB Marg police. The whereabouts of Raju are not known.

