Maharashtra family duped of over Rs 1.66 crore with 'black magic' claims, man booked

The suspect allegedly promised the family divine remedies through rituals and pilgrimages, officials said. Representational Pic/File

A family from Thane district in Maharashtra was allegedly duped of more than Rs 1.66 crore by a man who exploited their fear of "black magic", police said, reported the PTI.

The suspect allegedly promised divine remedies through rituals and pilgrimages, officials said on Sunday.

The Kasarvadavali police registered a first information report (FIR) on April 2 against the accused, Manjunath Shetty, a resident of Andheri in Mumbai, after the family claimed they were manipulated into paying him over two years, the news agency reported.

Elaborate rituals and pilgrimages

According to police, the family's ordeal began in January 2024 when they met Shetty at an event. On learning about their financial difficulties, he convinced them that a relative had performed black magic to obstruct their progress, as per the PTI.

To counter this, Shetty allegedly prescribed elaborate rituals and a mandatory pilgrimage to the 12 Jyotirlingas, sacred temples of Lord Shiva. He is said to have exploited minor mishaps in the family to manipulate them into making repeated payments.

Large payments made over two years

According to the PTI, the police stated that between February and April 2024, the family gave Shetty Rs 10 lakh in cash to buy ritual materials. From May 2024 to January 2026, they reportedly transferred around Rs 1.56 crore via online transactions to bank accounts held by Shetty and his mother.

Shetty allegedly also claimed he required money for pending court cases, warning that if he were imprisoned, the rituals would remain incomplete and the family's situation would never improve.

The probe

"The Kasarvadavali police district on April 2 registered a first information report (FIR) against Manjunath Shetty, a resident of Andheri in neighbouring Mumbai, based on the family's allegations that they were manipulated into paying the accused over a period of two years to "neutralise black magic" performed by a relative," an official said.

While no arrest has been made so far, police have filed a case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating, along with provisions under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, the official added, the PTI reported.

(with PTI inputs)