Godman Arrested on Charges of Assault in Thane

A self-styled spiritual leader has reportedly been detained in connection with an alleged sexual assault on a 15-year-old girl in Thane, Maharashtra. Authorities stated that the arrest occurred after the suspect, Shahid Mohammad Wahid Shaikh, 78, manipulated his way into the victim's home under false pretenses.

According to the police, the young girl had been living with her mother after losing both her father and grandmother recently. Shaikh, known to the mother, convinced them that malicious spirits were troubling their household. He exploited this belief to gain entry into their home, ostensibly to 'cleanse' it.

The incidents of molestation and rape reportedly took place during the mother's absence on May 2 and May 6. Shaikh faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and other related legislation. Authorities presented him in court, and he remains in police custody as further investigations proceed.

(With inputs from agencies.)