Tantrik gets life for raping Dalit woman during ‘exorcism’

Pilibhit: A self-styled occultist was sentenced to life imprisonment for abducting and raping a Dalit woman on the pretext of “freeing her from evil spirits that possessed her” in 2018. The additional district and sessions judge for the SC/ST Act also imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on Ramveer, now 58, on Friday evening, directing that 90% of the amount be awarded to the survivor, who was 19 when the crime occurred.

The survivor’s father had filed a complaint on April 26, 2018, saying he had sought help from Ramveer, an occultist, who had said his daughter was under the influence of evil spirits. Ramveer, along with two assistants, performed some rituals at their home for three days starting April 15.

According to the FIR, Ramveer abducted the girl on April 19, when she was alone and stole jewellery and cash arranged for her marriage. The police initially registered a case under IPC sections 366 (kidnapping), 379 (theft), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), and sections of the SC/ST Act. After the survivor was rescued and narrated her ordeal, the police added section 376 (rape) to the charges.

Pronouncing the sentence, the court said Ramveer lured the girl out of her house at 8apm on April 19 under the pretext of performing additional rituals. Despite her insistence on waiting for her parents, he took her to a nearby temple, where he gave her water laced with a substance that rendered her unconscious.

The woman later woke up locked in a room in Noida, where she was held for 10-12 days. During her captivity, Ramveer forced her into a sham marriage and raped her multiple times. “One day, she noticed the window was open and managed to escape. She reached home by bus,” the court mentioned in its findings.

Although the medical report did not find evidence of rape due to the time-lapse, the court relied on the survivor’s testimony and the evidence collected by the police. The court observed, “As the medical examination was conducted after a significant delay, no physical evidence was expected.” The court acquitted Ramveer of charges of theft, intentional insult, and criminal intimidation but convicted him under sections 366 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), and provisions of the SC/ST Act.

Courtesy: Times Of India

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