Astrologer arrested for blackmail, rape of woman

A shocking and shameful case has been reported in Phagwara where a well-known astrologer Abhishek Rawal has been accused of blackmailing and repeatedly raping a married woman, who is also a mother of three children.

The police have registered a case under Sections 376, 384, 506, IPC, against Rawal, a resident of Friends Colony, Phagwara, under serious charges of rape and blackmail.

In her complaint to the police, the victim Sheela (name changed ) revealed that she was a close friend of the astrologer’s wife and often met him at family gatherings. She stated that the accused used a voice-changing software to impersonate his wife and communicated with her through phone calls and chats.

Using this trick, he allegedly lured her to his shop on the pretext of shopping, where he drugged her and sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious. The accused also recorded an obscene video of the crime.

When the victim regained consciousness, Rawal allegedly threatened her, claiming to have the compromising footage. He later forced her into multiple sexual encounters at different locations by blackmailing her and threatening to harm her children. The victim further alleged that even on Holi, despite her strong refusal, the accused assaulted her again. When she finally resisted his blackmailing, he reportedly leaked her obscene video on social media.

The victim also claimed that Rawal, under the guise of astrology, used to collect explicit photos of innocent women. She urged the police to conduct a high-level investigation into his activities, alleging that he possessed multiple mobile phones containing objectionable material.

Meanwhile, the Phagwara police have arrested the accused and produced him before the local judicial magistrate, who sent him in police custody for two days.